From standing next to the 2002 cardinal mascot on Otterbein’s old basketball floor to wearing the Otterbein cardinal logo on his polo as he gets ready to tee off, Taylor Harle has always had a special place in his heart for Otterbein.
Harle, a senior secondary math education major, was raised by two Otterbein graduates who took him and his sister around campus and to various basketball games when they were kids.
Growing up, Harle and his father would play golf together as a fun activity, but it grew into a love for the sport.
“When applying for colleges, the big decision was whether or not I wanted to play golf,” Harle said. “I knew if I wanted to play golf, I would have to go to a division II or division III school.”
After looking at schools like Ashland University, Wittenberg University, Miami University and Ohio State, Harle said Otterbein was where he wanted to spend the next four years.
“I knew I was going to have great opportunities with athletics and academics,” Harle said.
“I was never the biggest kid, so I knew football wasn’t a good sport for me. Golf was perfect because you don’t always have to be the biggest, strongest or the fastest.”
Coming in as a freshmen, Harle and the golf team made it to nationals, which took place in Hershey, Pa.
“I played really well at nationals, which was really exciting as a freshman because going in, I didn’t really have high expectations,” he said. “Making it there was a great accomplishment.”
After a great first year, Harle said he hit a sophomore slump but came back strong his junior year making it to nationals again.
But, Harle said his greatest accomplishment came this spring, when he won his first tournament and received the medalist title at the OAC spring invitational.
“I was even par through 45 holes,” Harle said. “It was a great feeling. I had never been in that position before to win my first tournament, so the last couple holes I just wanted to par out and not make any mistakes.”
With that performance, Harle also received OAC Player of the Week this past Monday.
Harle said he is humbled by the entire experience, even with the excitement from winning his first ever medalist title.
“It’s been great,” he said. “All the hard work I put in the past three years has definitely been worth it this final year.”
For three years, Harle has been coached by Matt Cooperrider the head men’s golf coach.
“The kid, I have the utmost respect for as a person,” Cooperrider said. “He is a coach’s dream. He understands the role he plays on the team and understands his talent that he manages on the golf course.”
At every Ohio tournament, Harle could look out into the crowd and see his family.
“My family is always there supporting me,” Harle said. “I love having them there to watch, it’s great.”
Not only does it take concentration and a love for the game, but Harle said his emotions were one thing that set him apart from his opponents and has made him the golfer he is today.
“I never get too excited,” Harle said. “I never get too down on myself, and that is the thing that you really need to be a successful golfer. Things change from hole to hole — you never know what is going to happen.”
“He is peaking at the best time,” Cooperrider said. “He couldn’t of scripted it better.”
Being a big asset on the Otterbein golf team, Harle has also worked to help in many different areas other than just a player.
Harle has worked as a station manager and video coordinator on the team all four years and said the friendships he made would not have been possible without that experience.
“It was really cool to see two completely different coaching styles,” he said. “I made some great friends, and that group of friends are a group of friends I would never have if it wasn’t for Coach Reynolds.”
Once Harle receives his diploma, he hopes to teach around the central Ohio area, as well as coach at the middle or high school level in any sport.
Harle’s younger sister and sophomore public relations major Alissa Harle said she is proud of him as a golfer and for earning medalist honors.
“He is great,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud to call him my brother. He is going to be an excellent teacher and an excellent coach.”
Looking back on his four years at Otterbein and reminiscing about his childhood that was strongly influenced by Otterbein, Harle said he couldn’t be happier with his choice to keep the Harle-Otterbein tradition alive.
“It has been unbelievable,” Harle said. “I would not have changed it for anything in the world. I will cherish it forever.”
