By: Tatiana Nadal
In eighth grade, Kenner Taylor decided he wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. This author and athlete is a senior at Houston Christian High School. At school, Kenner Taylor is always carrying around his tennis bag, his lunch box containing grilled chicken and a granola bar, and is constantly cracking funny jokes. At the age of 17, Kenner has combined his passion for writing, tennis, and helping others to publish The Ins and Outs of Tennis: Doubles and Singles Strategies.
In his book, he shares tips on how to strategically defeat opponents in both doubles and singles. Kenner wrote his book by organizing his notes collected from years of lessons and training. He then converted his notes to chapters, and subsequently into book form. The book wouldn’t be a reality if it weren’t for his parents’ support, his coach, Ross Persons, and Sara Welshimer, his English teacher who helped him edit. Taylor has sold over 100 copies so far. 60% of his proceeds go towards helping people with adoption and 20% to Houston Christian Athletics.
His favorite memory was being able to go on Amazon and see his book there. Taylor plans to continue writing books on tennis after college, and he wants to study finance, so he will be able to work with sports teams to manage finances. He is not only passionate, but he is not afraid to make things happen, nor does he wait for his opportunities—he makes them.
He advises young people, the future of the world, to make that future bright. He advises anyone who wants to publish a book to “do a little bit of work each day. Whether you write a sentence or a page each day, make sure to keep working on it and before you know it, it will be finished. Just stay patient!” To our graduating senior class as we get ready to depart to chase our dreams, he says, “Remember that champions are made when nobody is watching. Doing the right thing and working hard even when not rewarded immediately leads to future success.”
