Next summer Paris hosts the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games. Already looking ahead to the event, I invited Olympian Taylor McQuillin to be my latest guest on Talking Travel.

Taylor’s journey is an amazing one. Legally blind in her left eye due to Duane Syndrome, Taylor never let the condition stop her. After trying different sports, Taylor found a home on the softball field, specifically, the mound.

Her pitching eventually led her to the University of Arizona, where she started with a bang, pitching a shutout in her debut. She finished her career with the Wildcats ranking top-10 in career victories, strikeouts and innings.

Then came Team Mexico and the 2020 Summer Olympics. Taylor struck out two batters and did not allow a run in her one appearance. Although Team Mexico did not win a medal, it was a successful first Olympic appearance by the team.

Taylor also played in the National Pro Fastpitch league, the Japan Diamond League and Athletes Unlimited softball, where I met her a couple years ago. A veteran of all four AU seasons, Taylor set career highs in 2023.

I started the interview asking about her eyes. Lacking vision in an eye is a challenge for anyone. Depth perception, stability, orientation and more can be issues, but those can be overcome, as Taylor showed. Taylor discussed managing her vision issues. By being open with her teammates, she learned how to compensate for her lack of sight and actually feels she became a better overall player.

Taylor relayed her feelings about being in the Olympics, representing Team Mexico and adding Olympian to her name. It was truly a life-changing experience.

That led us to talking travel, as Taylor discussed her time in Japan, both with Team Mexico and with the JDL. She talked about her first trip there and now being a bit of a veteran there, although she’s quick to point out other teammates have more experience there. Still, Taylor is comfortable enough to hop on a train and explore a new area. That’s a sure sign of a relaxed traveler. That also led to Taylor’s travel tip.

Softball will not be played in the 2024 Olympics but will return in Los Angeles in 2028. I don’t know if Taylor will be part of it, but either way, she will be part of the softball scene. Through Taybee Softball camps, clinics and private instruction, Taylor is giving back to the sport which has allowed her so much, including traveling the world.

Talking Travel is an interview series on Global Traveler. Subscribe to the GT YouTube channel to be notified of all future interviews and other travel-related videos.

— John Wroblewski, online writer