South Lakes Football Coach Earns Honor From Redskins, Inova

South Lakes High School football coach Trey Taylor was named the Washington Redskins Foundation’s High School Coach of the Week last week — and that was before SLHS earned another victory to improve to 8-0.

The award is given out each week by the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and Inova Sports Medicine.

The Seahawks earned their biggest victory of the season Oct. 14 with an upset over then-No. 8 Madison. South Lakes then climbed 10 spots in the Washington Post poll. The Seahawks are the No. 8 team now. The team beat Langely 42-14 on Friday.

“Coach Taylor does a great job of helping each of his players recognize their full potential,” Linda Jones, SLHS Director Student Activities, said in a release. “He encourages his players to focus on academics first and to always do the right thing.”

The Redskins and Inova highlight some of Taylor’s accomplishments on and off the field since arriving at SLHS in 2014.

Coach Taylor has used community outreach as an opportunity to advocate team building amongst his student-athletes. Coach Taylor and his players are active in the “Readers Are Leaders” program with Terreset Elementary School and assist with the Reston Youth Association’s football camps and clinics.  Players also help South Lakes custodial staff move school furniture before the start of every school year.

All South Lakes football coaches are Heads Up Football certified and emphasize the importance of proper tackling techniques to players. Taylor encourages his players to seek out the assistance of the Athletic Training staff when necessary. Additionally, he holds clinics for youth football coaches on proper techniques.

The High School Coach of the Week program is an NFL-wide initiative designed to recognize area high school football coaches who continuously demonstrate hard work and dedication to their football programs, the health and safety of their players, and who make a difference in their communities.

The Redskins Charitable Foundation has convened a panel of local high school football media experts to provide nominations of deserving high school coaches for consideration and selection.

Each coach chosen throughout the high school football season will receive a $2,000 donation from the Redskins Charitable Foundation to their football program and a framed certificate signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden, Redskins President Bruce Allen and General Manager Scot McCloughan, as well as other giveaway items from the Redskins Charitable Foundation and Inova Sports Medicine.

Coach Trey Taylor at SLHS football practice/file photo