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By Caleb Thomas

Troy football kicker Scott Taylor Renfroe has known new Troy baseball signee Drew Nelson for as long as he can remember.

Renfroe and Nelson grew up together, won state championships in multiple sports together at Pike Liberal Arts High School in Troy, Alabama, and pushed each other to get better in all aspects of life. Nelson, a left-handed pitcher who played for Auburn his first two years of college, is transferring to Troy for baseball this season.

“I owe so much to Drew,” Renfroe said. “He was always pushing me with kicking, and I would push him with baseball.

“We were always doing something together, and there was a lot of competition.”

Renfroe recalls a memory from 10th grade, where Nelson, his placeholder, said something that has stuck with him ever since. He missed a kick and criticized Nelson about his hold.

“He just looked at me and said ‘hey, dude, you have to execute and make that kick,’” Renfroe said. “I’ll never forget how he reminded me that I was good enough to make every kick that he puts down.

“That’s the kind of support that we have for each other. I believed that he was going to strike out every person that stepped up to the plate, and he believed that I was going to make every kick.”

Nelson said Renfroe was part of his decision to transfer to Troy.

“[Renfroe] being at Troy made it easier,” Nelson said. “I know I’ll have friends and family to be around and someone who’s going to make me better.”

Both mentioned playing at the same school had been a dream of theirs.

“We had said since freshman year of high school that we were going to play for the same team in college,” Renfroe said. “Now that it’s a reality, I’m super pumped.”

However, their friendship truly runs deeper than just sports. Both of their parents have known each other since high school, and the families have grown close over the years.

“We’ve raised our kids together and we’re really good friends on a lot of different levels,” said Al Renfroe, Scott Taylor’s father, on the Nelsons. “We could always trust that they were going to have the same expectations and values as us, and that’s translated to a strong relationship.”

Drew’s father, David, says he’s excited to have Drew return to his hometown.

“I tried my best not to sway his decision, but I’m glad to have him back,” said David Nelson. “Both me and my wife went to school at Troy, and we’re excited about where the baseball program is at.”

“It’s been awesome to watch them both grow and achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves,” Al Renfroe said. “It’s not typical to see middle school kids give up their weekends to go practice together, but [Scott Taylor and Drew] both worked hard and did those things.”

There’s more to their friendship than sports, as Scott Taylor and Drew have grown together in all areas of life.

“Scott Taylor and Drew are both Godly young men and have great character,” David Nelson said. “It’s been great to watch them encourage one another and hold each other accountable through the years.”