# #367: Payton Taylor-Gill Athletics | From Illinois State Thrower to Serving Coaches Nationwide

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100/367-payton-taylor-gill-athletics-from-illinois-state-thrower-to-serving-coaches-nationwide
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100/367-payton-taylor-gill-athletics-from-illinois-state-thrower-to-serving-coaches-nationwide.md
Podcast: [The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100)
Published: 2026-06-15T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gillathletics/episodes/367-Payton-Taylor-Gill-Athletics--From-Illinois-State-Thrower-to-Serving-Coaches-Nationwide-e3i2pkn
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/10ea86d8/podcast/play/118629463/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-3-17%2F8f0a31e1-51b9-58cd-1db8-09b7ee77d780.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-gill-athletics-track-and-field-connections-podcast-479100/episodes/367-payton-taylor-gill-athletics-from-illinois-state-thrower-to-serving-coaches-nationwide
Duration seconds: 5435

## Resource

This episode of the Gill Connections Podcast is a little different—and a lot of fun. Instead of sitting down with a coach, we’re turning the mic inward and highlighting one of our own. Payton Taylor joins the show to share his journey from a multi-sport athlete in Illinois to a Division I thrower at Illinois State University… and now to serving coaches across the country as part of the Gill Athletics team. We dive into the moments that shaped him—from a faceplant in a hurdle race that ended his hurdling career 😅, to navigating COVID during his senior year, to discovering a passion for growth, process, and helping others succeed in the sport. This is a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to serve track & field at a high level—and why the people behind the equipment matter just as much as the equipment itself. 🔑 In this episode, we cover: 🏃‍♂️ How Payton found track (and why hurdles didn’t last long 😆) ⚾ Balancing football, baseball, and track before choosing his path 🎓 His transition to throwing at Illinois State and falling in love with the process 🛠️ What it’s really like working at Gill Athletics 🏆 Behind the scenes of NCAA Division II Championships 🤝 Serving coaches, dealers, and athletes across the country “ I was always trying to find more… just the little things that add up to get 1% better. ” — Payton Taylor 👉Dive into nearly 400 episodes featuring insights from coachinglegends such as BooSchexnayder and Dan Pfaff, DiljeetTaylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan , as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find uson Twitch.tv , YouTube , Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more! 🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Projectepis…

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