Ethan Taylor and his family can relate to the growing pains that are at the heart of most of the storylines on “Yellowstone.”
A native of Cour d’Alene, Idaho, Taylor has made Nixa his home for a little more than six months and this spring has earned a spot on the Eagles’ pitching staff.
“I come from, 'Potato town,'” Taylor said to sum up the reaction of his classmates upon learning he is from Idaho.
Cour d’Alene is actually generally considered one of the most gorgeous areas in the country, or the Playground of the Pacific Northwest, as it is often referred to. With a population of 50,000 and rising, the resort town is nestled in a valley with surrounding lakes and mountains. Cour d’Alene Resort Golf Course features a famous floating green and Silverwood Theme Park is also nearby.
Celebrities the likes of John Elway, Wayne Gretzky, Lance Armstrong, Mathew McConaughey and George Clooney have homes in Cour d’Alene.
"It's a very beautiful place,” Taylor said. “There’s a very nice lake and mountains that you can hike, cliffs you can jump off in the summer and there's also skiing. It’s growing really fast, so they were pricing everything up with a lot of the housing.
“We wanted a different lifestyle,” he added. “The housing was high there and low when we moved here.”
It didn’t take Taylor long to feel like he landed in a good spot at Nixa.
“I didn't know a lot about Nixa and the school. I was following my parents,” he said. “It’s been a big move. When I first moved here, it was the end of football season. Seeing that big stadium and watching them play, I realized Nixa is a really good sports school. I love it here.”
Taylor is among a slew of newcomers to Nixa’s pitching staff who have been a big factor in the Eagles’ 12-1 start to the season. Nixa is allowing an average of only 2.8 runs a game.
Taylor is fresh from four shutout innings in the Eagles’ 3-2 triumph at Branson last week.
"At my school (in Idaho), it was about a lot of reps and not much teaching,” he said. “I like these coaches, they've helped me a lot. The coaching staff is really good and the competition here is a lot better.”
Likewise, Taylor has made a good impression on his new coaches.
“He's been a great addition to the program,” coach Logan Hughes said of Taylor. “He works hard and sets the tone for our pitching staff.”
