Coach Guy Mackay has been coaching at Taylorsville for 20 years with many different sports such as football, baseball, golf, cross country, basketball. and track. Mackay is also an Athletic Director with Margo Jones.

Promoting community support is vital to keeping a program successful. “Cross Country is hard to really get support. The main thing that needs to happen is word of mouth. It would be easier for programs like football or basketball. It would be nice to have a little league dedicated to cross country,” Mackay said.

Respect is enshrined in the golden rule that makes coaches and teams successful. Coaches have expectations for their athletes. Many coaches have very strict rules. Coaches just want their athletes to succeed and have a great future.

Mackay said, “I don’t remember the last time I had to deal with a behavioral or even academic problem. Every year I have been here we have had at least one or two academic all-state athletes. Every player is highly motivated and with higher motivation, you can achieve higher grades.”

Coaches are seen as role models. Athletes look up to coaches for support and guidance. Coaches also have role models. They look up to someone just as their athletes look up them.

“My wife,” Mackay said laughing. “That’s my support.”

Coaching may affect someone in a positive or negative way. It is the way the coach wants to direct the team. Coaches develop a whole new perspective on working with and leading others. You adopt a whole new mind for finding solutions.

   “It takes a lot of time away, especially from my family, but on a positive side, it is such a joy to watch an athlete you coached succeed It is where I get my rushes of adrenaline,” Mackay said.

Every coach has goals for where they wanna be in the future.

Mackay said, “In five years I want to still be the cross country coach. I have had stressful jobs, but I can handle it. I love coaching. I love watching my athletes succeed.”

Every coach has a favorite moment and the worst moment. Mackay said, “My favorite moment is when we made it to the Utah Football State Championship in 1999. I was the defensive coordinator and it was great even though we lost. I can’t really put my finger on the worst moment, if I had to choose it would be when I was the head baseball coach, we had a home run called back to a double which made us lose the championship game in 2007 against Jordan.”