Journalists are supposed to be impartial, yes? Maybe… but not in this case… not for me.

Taylor Dockins was one of the greatest people I’ve ever met and that she was a record-setting, honor-receiving softball player was just secondary to the amazing human being she was.

But that’s not to say she wasn’t a great athlete… oh, she absolutely was.

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A Record-Setting, Award-Winning Pitcher

As a pitcher, Taylor won a PGF Nationals Championship as well as an ASA National Championships in her younger travel ball days and the future seemed very bright until—playing for Dean Fausett’s So Cal Choppers 18U team in the Boulder IDT during the Summer of 2016—she fell seriously ill and was rushed to the emergency room in great pain.

A tumor containing a rare form of liver cancer was removed but that didn’t slow Taylor down as she went into her senior year at Norco (Calif.) High. The dominating pitcher set a California state record with 33 straight wins and ended her prep career as the CIF Southern Section leader with 108 wins. Taylor was also named the 2016-2017 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.

That summer, almost eight years ago to the day (July 24, 2017), I interviewed Taylor at PGF Nationals where she confirmed she’d play in the All-American Game that year… here’s the video clip (probably should have done it away from the PA announcer!):

Post high school and club ball, she would go on to success at Cal State Fullerton where she pitched a no-hitter as a freshman in 2018 and, despite missing a full month of games due to chemo treatments and medical appointments, would return to play in an NCAA Regional game.

As a sophomore, she pitched in two more NCAA Regional games but her continuous, valiant battle with her live cancer would ultimately take the life of this angel sent from heaven.

On June 2, 2024, at the tender of age of just 25, Taylor went to her celestial home.

Titans Head Coach Kelly Ford said at that time:

“Taylor was my humble warrior and she left it out on the field. She played with passion and that young lady just always fought.”

The athlete’s way-too-early death was so significant, in an article for Line Drive Softball last year, l ranked her life and passing as one of the Top 10 Softball Stories of 2024.

And I still get teary-eyed reviewing the life and successes of such a bright-eyed, smiling ray of light who meant so much to so many.

As I wrote last year shortly after her passing:

“If you followed her as an athlete or on a personal level—like I was able to—you know why Taylor was so special… and it had NOTHING to do with her athletic accomplishments…  as amazing as they were.

No, what made Taylor special to me was her persona, her character, her radiance, her twinkling eyes and her uplifting smile.”

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The First Annual Taylor Dockins Award Goes To…

At PGF Nationals going on this week and next in Southern Calif., the first annual Taylor Dockins Award was presented to Meredith Barnhart, herself a tremendously accomplished athlete who embodied the key aspects of what Taylor was and stood for.

As a senior at Lutheran High in Parker, Colo., Meredith helped her Lions team win the Colorado 4A state championship by batting .547 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs. The Tennessee Vols signee was named as the 4A Player of the Year, the Gatorade State Player of the Year and a 1^st Team Line Drive All-American.

She says receiving the Taylor Dockins Award was a special honor, particularly after she learned more about what the award’s namesake stood for and accomplished.

“Not only was she a special athlete, a stud pitcher,” Meredith said, “but what I think people noticed about her most was who she was off the field and the joy and the light she brought to her community.”

“It was hard not to be happy and enjoy her presence… what I’ve learned is that she was a fighter and went through hard, hard cancer but chose to enjoy her teammates and the game. She was strong-willed and her faith kept her going.

Here’s more with Meredith via a Zoom call recorded last week:

Originally, Meredith was supposed to be recognized and receive the award in person last Friday night at the Coaches Dinner kicking off Week of this year’s PGF Nationals.

However, the athlete and her family couldn’t make the dinner for a very good reason: Meredith’s brother Macy Barnhart got married to his sweetheart Brooke at The Oaks wedding venue in Castle Rock, Colo. on Saturday leading to her flying into Orange County on Sunday and receiving the award itself on Monday at a presentation at a nearby beach.

The Initial Inspiration & Creation of the Taylor Dockins Award

How Meredith was chosen to receive the award in the first place is an interesting story in and of itself.

PGF’s Garrett Hay, Daron Sutton and others first considered the idea of the Taylor Dockins Award shortly after her passing. In time, the concept became reality as more who knew Taylor championed a way to honor her. 

In an interesting twist of fate, Meredith—a future Tennessee Volunteer—was aided by one-time Vols player, Caylan Arnold Elliott, who played club ball with Taylor back when both were high school-aged softball standouts in Southern California.

Currently the National Scouting Director for the Fastpitch United pro league, Caylan—who finished her college career competing at Florida State before graduating in 2021—recaps her longtime friendship with Taylor.

“I met Taylor in the summer of 2016 when I played travel ball with the SoCal Choppers Faussett team. We immediately hit it off and became fast friends. Taylor and her mom (Debi Dockins) were so incredibly kind to me making sure that I had everything that I needed and that I was well taken care of while I was away from home.”

Caylan was with Taylor the night the high school pitcher first became ill.

“We were actually together in Colorado when her stomach pains got to the point where she felt like she needed to go to the hospital, so they dropped me back off at the hotel and went to the hospital—that’s where Taylor was diagnosed with cancer.”

“Ever since then I was just totally blown away by her faith and her resilience; Taylor was such an inspiration to me personally and I’m so blessed to have had a friend like her and I’m so blessed to still have the Dockins in my life today.”

So close were the one-time softball teammates that Taylor, though ill at the time, attended Caylan’s wedding in 2023 and, in a touching photo, the new bride gives her friend a hug at the wedding reception.

Caylan was instrumental in the initial idea and launch this year of the Taylor Dockins Award. She had met with PGF’s Dan Hay and Bill Conroy to talk about ways Fastpitch United and Premier Girls Fastpitch could work together in future events.

In the course of the meeting, Taylor’s name came up and both sides immediately saw the poignancy of honoring the late athlete’s legacy through the annual award.

“PGF met Taylor Dockins and her family very early on in her softball journey,” recalls Garrett Hay, Vice President of PGF, “and, while we are all saddened by the unimaginable loss of Taylor, this doesn’t have to be the end. We knew that her receiving this award would be a new beginning of faith, courage, and legacy.”

Caylan continues her recollection of that first meeting.

“I talked about wanting to someday do an event in honor of Taylor and Dan invited me to send him the criteria for this award.”

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The Awards’ Criteria… Excellence On & Off the Field

Caylan drafted six bullet points that would ultimately become accepted by PGF as what candidates for the award need to demonstrate in their actions on and off the field as exemplified by Taylor.

Here they are with her comments:

1. A follower of Jesus: “Taylor was one of the most faithful individuals I knew. She inspired me with her love for the Lord and her constant faith in His plan. Her favorite Bible verse was Hebrews 6:19: ‘We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.’”
2. A kind friend: “Taylor quickly became my first friend in California. She immediately welcomed me onto the team and made sure I felt included. She and her mom, Debi, took me under their wings and ensured I was cared for.”
3. Adventurous: “Taylor loved to go on adventures, whether that be a hike at Estes Park, or moving across the country to Nashville, Tennessee, she loved to try new things and wasn’t afraid to dive in headfirst.”
4. Immeasurable strength: “Through the many doctor’s appointments, chemo treatments, and surgeries, Taylor continued to do incredible things. She played collegiate softball at Cal State Fullerton while fighting cancer and undergoing treatment. She would have chemotherapy sessions and then go to softball practice. After missing a full month of games due to chemo treatments and doctor appointments, she made her NCAA Regional debut, facing one batter and striking her out in the final game of the season.”
5. A good student: “Taylor graduated from Norco High School with Honors and from Cal State Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree and wanted to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. She worked so hard to graduate from college, and even though it took her a couple of extra years, she fought to make it happen.”
6. A phenomenal athlete: “I remember the first time I watched Taylor pitch. I don’t remember the team or the location, but I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this girl’s good!’ She was known for her amazing drop ball that garnered swings and misses.”

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The Perspective of Taylor’s Parents & Others Involved with the Award

As the poignant saying goes: “No parent should ever have to endure the pain of burying their child” and the experience of losing Taylor last year was understandably heart-breaking for Rick and Debi Dockins.

The athlete’s father today says that he and his wife are so grateful and appreciative of the award being a way for the softball community to forever keep their daughter’s memory alive.

“We’re so thankful for the Taylor Dockins Award to keep her name—Taylor Lynn Dockins—alive,” Rick says. “It means so much to us that her time, love, faith and everything else she brought to this earthly world will long be remembered. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think of Taylor and miss her, but we know we will see her again someday.”

Although the Dockins couldn’t be at the PGF Nationals for the presentation of the award to Meredith this week, they may get to meet her when the incoming college freshman is at the Univ. of Tennessee.

“Regarding this year’s recipient,” Taylor’s father continues, “we’ve heard wonderful things about Meredith and hope to meet her soon! Ironically, we moved from Southern California a year and a half ago and now live in Tennessee—about two hours away from the university—and hope to see Meredith play next year with the Vols!”

On PGF’s side, the event producer which is hosting the PGF All-American Game on Saturday in which Meredith is playing in, is also very pleased with the first honoree chosen.

“PGF would like to congratulate Meredith Barnhart on becoming the very first recipient of the Taylor Dockins Award,” Garrett Hay adds. “We know she is a shining example of all that Taylor would be proud of, and we can’t wait to see what her future holds.”

As for Taylor’s one-time club teammate, Caylan Arnold Elliott is honest when she says that the pain of losing her friend is still there but there is optimism too that all of the athlete’s family and friends will someday once again be with Taylor.

“It was extremely hard and still is sometimes,” she admits. “However, Taylor loved Jesus and again she was such an inspiration to me in her faith. I find comfort in knowing that she is completely healed and no longer in any kind of pain or suffering and that one day I will get to see her again in heaven.”

Until that time comes, Taylor’s memory and inspiring life story will forever be remembered and shared thanks to the annual awarding of the Taylor Dockins Award.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Media