Breaking Barriers: UWM Track Athlete Taylor Koss Transcends Many Hurdles

Being a successful college athlete is no easy task especially if you have to face hurdles higher than the ones on the track. But Taylor Koss, a Green Bay native and UWM track star, makes it look like a breeze.

Other sports were more difficult for Koss because Koss is deaf.

Koss has competed internationally and had a very successful freshman season with UWM going to the finals in the 400-meter dash and being one of UWM’s top runners. Koss began running track in middle school when his teacher had recommended he give it a shot.

“I fell in love with the simplicity of the sport,” Koss said. “You don’t need any equipment, there aren’t many rules… you just need to run.” At an early age, Koss had a tough time with his deafness. It was difficult for him. “When I was younger, I had to fight for a lot of things to be equal with my hearing peers,” said Koss.

He put a lot of emphasis on the word equality. He wanted to feel the same as everyone else. As he got into the sport of track, that feeling was replaced with a newly found love for the sport. He forgot about wanting to be the same and focused on being the best athlete he could be. And he exceeded that goal.

Koss ran in the Deaflympics of 2013. He competed in four events in Sofia, Bulgaria finishing 5^th in the world for the 400-meter hurdles and receiving the bronze medal for 4×400 meter relay. These accomplishments were some of the best experiences Koss has experienced. “Everything was so easy to understand there,” he said. “They were so accommodating, it was like nothing I had experienced.”

His love for the sport also led Koss to UWM’s club track and field team. He was running at a meet when track and field coach Eric Kramer spotted him. After the race, Kramer went to congratulate Koss only to be given an unusual response.

“I thought wow, this kid is kind a jerk; he doesn’t even say thanks,” he said, until someone informed him of Taylor’s deafness.

This was the beginning of an amazing journey for Koss and Kramer both. Koss accredits many of his accomplishments to his coach. He is happy that their paths crossed. Coach Kramer has mutual feelings.

“Having Taylor on the team has made me a better coach,” Kramer said. “I’ve learned how to change my approach and adapt to different situations.” He described Koss as a great asset to the team, but who goes beyond his athletic abilities.

“He has no ability to hear me, but at the same time he listens or communicates better than a lot of the other kids on the team,” said Kramer.

Koss is a great example to follow on the team, and he’s improved immensely since last season because he is dedicated to his workouts, his coach says, adding, “I never have to worry about him skipping a rep.”

Not only is he a good leader, he is a great teacher, the coach says. Koss is always willing to teach his teammates how to sign. A few of them are in ASL classes now, and he never fails to offer his help.

Teammate Nick Hughes says “he’s more than willing to spell things out or text it to you or he’ll even play a sort of charade game.” Koss is a great teacher to his team and he hopes to utilize that in his future career, Hughes said.

Koss is majoring in education and ultimately would like to work in a school helping deaf culture be more comfortable with their deafness. His accomplishments set an example of hurdling that difficult obstacle, those who know him say.  “Never give up on your deaf culture; just suffer through it because you will be successful,” says Koss.