Six time NFL Pro Bowl selection, four time NFL All-Pro, 2006 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, two time First Team All-Mac. Just think, Jason Taylor almost didn’t even get a chance to play at the University of Akron, because he was homeschooled.

Even though Jason Taylor is now a feared superstar defensive end for the Miami Dolphins, he had a beginning to his career that was unique and blessed. Taylor grew up in western Pennsylvania and was homeschooled through his high school graduation. He was not involved in football until the day when Coach George Novak saw him working and asked if he would like to play for Woodland Hills High School. After learning of Taylor’s situation with homeschooling, Coach Novak went to the school board and helped in the process of getting Taylor approved to play football.

What nobody could possibly know at the time, was that Taylor would not only excel at football, but he would also become a star on the basketball floor. He lettered in both sports and was given Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League honors by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Gateway Newspapers at both tight end and free safety.

Taylor’s record speaks for itself on the playing field, but how did he feel about being homeschooled when everyone else went to classes together? In the April 2005 edition of The Home School Court Report, Taylor said, “The only difference is homeschoolers don’t ride a yellow bus in the mornings. But anytime you do something different, something out of the ordinary, the world looks at you in a different light, like you’re weird or strange. It worked out for me. Quite frankly, it is easier. You can get done with your stuff and move on with your day...”

His study habits were more than adequate, as Taylor maintained a G.P.A. of 3.85 and scored 130 points above the minimum SAT scholarship requirement of the NCAA. The 6’6” 215 pound Taylor was heavily recruited at the end of his high school career, and he accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Akron.

Unfortunately, the NCAA viewed Taylor’s correspondence studies as unacceptable, and chose to revoke his scholarship on this basis alone. He was not allowed to practice with the team during this time and even missed his first game of the season. After pressure from groups including the Home School Legal Defense Association, the NCAA changed its ruling and reinstated Taylor’s scholarship. He made the most of this opportunity by becoming not only one of the MAC’s best defensive ends, but also by starting on the Akron basketball team.

Taylor’s football prowess caught the attention of the Miami Dolphins, who drafted the standout 73rd overall in the 1997 NFL Draft. His hard work has continued to pay off as he has become one of the most dominant defensive ends in the league. The 11 year veteran will make another trip to Hawaii this year as he has been named to the NFL Pro Bowl for the 6th time.

The career of Jason Taylor continues to shine, but part of his focus remains on the homeschool issue. He, along with other stars such as Heisman Award Winner Tim Tebow of Florida, has been a vocal supporter of giving homeschool athletes an even shot at the next level. On ESPN’s Outside The Lines, Taylor commented on the current situation involving homeschooled athletes in high school. “It’s important to let the kids know, and the people that are holding the kids back know, that there’s a lot of kids with a lot of potential, and they may be better than the valedictorian that you have in your high school. They just need a chance.”

When asked about what needs to be done to make the current high school climate more receptive, Taylor said, “I think you’ve got to sit down, you’ve got to lay it all out on the table and see what the advantages are for the kids and what the disadvantages are, and look, the parents are still paying tax dollars. If they can’t play in the school system then give the tax money back.....” He continued, “You can set up regulations and guidelines and monitor it. I’m not saying give [homeschoolers] a free lance chance to do whatever they want. There are ways to do it, it’s just a matter of getting people to sit down and not be ignorant about the situation.”
In the last fifteen years, the NCAA has changed many of its rules and regulations regarding approval of homeschool students. Because of Jason Taylor, the NCAA originally changed from not allowing homeschooled athletes to participate to letting students submit a waiver for an eligibility ruling. In later years, the NCAA eliminated the waiver and now they allow students to register with the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. This process verifies that each student has been homeschooled in compliance with state law, and that they have transcripts and proof of high school graduation. The NCAA also looks at standardized test scores, and at the list of textbooks used in the classroom setting.

With the NCAA now recognizing homeschool athletes on a national level, the work shifts to the local and state levels. Currently a little more than a third of the 50 states allow homeschool athletes to compete with their local high school. Legislation is pending in a few states, but there is still a long way to go to give each student a chance to play on a high school team. However, behind the leadership of bold examples like Jason Taylor, soon every child will be given a chance to do what every kid loves to do - compete. HSI