As a young player on the Crusader football team and already making a name for himself, Alex Taylor was becoming proud. “I was someone who sometimes got caught up in wanting recognition...I wanted to be recognized as a good athlete; I wanted to be recognized as a good student.” He recalls a time when Coach Stacy Dainard called him down to his office: there was Theo Deezar, star quarterback and idol to the young Alex. The two told Alex that he was gifted but that he needed to change his attitude. Touchdown celebrations weren’t the way they did it at St. Paul’s – you do your best, you go about your business, you practice humility.
Today, you can see that Alex is confident and undeniably charming while still incredibly gracious. These days Alex talks about the people who helped him grow and his aspirations to use his talents to help others.
Alex had a stellar run in college ball, winning a Vanier Cup with the Western University Mustangs in 2017. And in 2019, Alex was drafted to the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos, a dream for many young Crusaders.
Growing up, Alex saw how his siblings faced barriers in getting the medical care they needed. As he works toward a career in medicine, he wants to advocate for Black and Indigenous communities and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. He also looks for volunteer opportunities that allow him to empower those communities. “[As a] Man for others, you don’t count the cost…you don’t look for recognition in the process,” says Alex.
