Double The Talent, Triple The Bond: Twin And Triplet Athletes

I taught high school psychology and I took my fair share of psychology classes. So I read my share of “twin studies.” The basic premise of most of these studies was to compare if identical twins were more likely to share a characteristic than fraternal twins- so trying to get at the nature vs nurture question. 

According to the stats- in natural births, there is a 1 in 250 chance of having twins and 1 in 10,000 chance of having triplets. 

When one thinks about twin athletes at Galesburg HS, the first names that come to mind are Albert and Elbert Kimbrough (GHS Class of 1957). They were two of the all-time great athletes in GHS history. 

I had the opportunity to coach several sets of twins and triplets. My focus with twins/triplets was like it was with all players- try to get to know each of them as people to figure out what made them click. I wanted to be able to help them reach their individual goals and help them to help the team reach the team’s goals. 

For me, the “getting to know” twins and triplets was more challenging than it was “getting to know” other players because I struggled to learn which person I was talking to or observing. 

With athletic twins/triplets, they bring something extra to their teams. They “double” the talent- now instead of having one good athlete, the team has two or three good athletes. The bond of twins/triplets allows them to not hesitate to give their sibling “tough love” when it is needed, and to give them a hug of support when needed. And there is also a competitive nature to twins/triplets that gives each of them a little extra push to excel. 

I have reached out to some twins/triplets that I had the privilege to coach. I asked them about their experiences as twins/triplets. And I asked some of their other siblings, cousins, and parents about their perspective about the twin/triplet experience. 

Pat & Mike Tadie- GHS Class of ‘81

Gene Tadie (Older Brother)

I remember that as infants and toddlers they had their own language. And they seemed comfortable with being twins. As time went on, to my eyes at least, it became easier to distinguish them physically. 

They are both good men. 

Pat Tadie- GHS ‘81

Pat graduated from Georgetown in 1985 with a degree in accounting. He has an MBA from NYU and also from George Washington University. He is also a certified public accountant. He has worked for JP Morgan Prudential, Freddie Mac and M&T BANK, and New York Mellon. He has primarily been in the mortgage and asset secularization business. He now has his own consulting company, doing consulting work for financial institutions.

Do you have any special twin rituals or traditions?

Rituals or traditions...not now.  In the past, young age, we were very close, thru high school and into college.  We served as altar boys, we would use hand signals for things we did well or not well.  In classrooms, could tell when one was laughing or had opinions on things going on.  We definitely seemed to know what the other was thinking on some level.

Do you have any stories of switching on people?

I was in a summer internship program, 1984 between junior and senior year in college, at JP Morgan, on 23 Wall Street in NY City.  It was a brutally hot summer day.  I had to wear a suit and tie each day.  Mike came to NYC to visit, came up to our office.  One of the staff said we should play a joke on my manager, man named Al.  So Mike walked across entire floor (like 200 people) in shorts and a tee shirt, everyone stared.  Then I walked over about a minute later, everyone laughed, my manager Al said 'You son of a ..."!

Anything you wish people understood about twins?

It'd be good for others to know that while we look very similar, each was an individual.  We used to get combined gifts (what a ripoff!).  Had different interests to a certain extent.

Internship with Sen. Percy

Were there times you went different directions and it might have been tough?

Mike in high school was more of a sprinter in track and field, I was more of a middle to longer distance runner.  He was more of a forward in basketball, I was a guard.  He was a running back, I was quarterback.  In college, we had divergent friends, which was fine.  And we definitely picked different career paths, he government service, me financial institutions.

Did you ever feel you had clairvoyance with Mike?

Probably so to a certain extent.  One time in high school, during PE, playing dodge ball, one guy went after Mike after he (within the rules) nailed the guy in the back.  I jumped on the guy and took him down before he could reach Mike.

Sports wise, yes, especially when I was QB and he was RB, I could pitch to him on an option play and knew he would be there.  On basketball court, again, I kind of knew where he'd be.

Was it good to always have someone to go home to after a loss?

Better to have him there, though we were on the same teams so when we lost, it was a commiserating thing.  We had one really bad year in little league baseball, team was terrible, and we got waxed 27-3.  We went home, our Mom went on a bike ride with us, it was her way of supporting us and getting the loss in the past.

Do you remember a time where Mike did something better and you had to deal with that?

Mike's done a lot of great things in service of our country.  I'm very proud of him for that.  I don't have that same service of country in my background, so I'm proud of him.

What was good or bad about being a twin in sports?

Mainly good.  Someone to help/compare notes/etc.  Be supportive in times of losses.  Only bad thing is sometimes one of us was picked as the starter or got a varsity letter, other didn't, that may have been hard.

Advice you would have for other twins?

Enjoy having such a good friend/supportive person who can also relate.  Don't let others define you as a twin (or a triplet) and think you all have the same interests/hobbies/etc.  Try to maintain your own identity.  Everyone will lump you together, don't get too frustrated by it, it's somewhat naturally I suppose.

Mike Tadie- GHS ‘81

Mike graduated from Georgetown in 1985. He received advanced degrees from Joint Military College and George Washington University, as well as being a Senior Executive Fellows at Harvard. Mike spent 29 years as intelligence officer in the CIA. He had a “top secret” clearance. 

He rose to Chief at CIA Operations, where he led a team that provided 24/7 alert and warning intelligence to the Director of Central Intelligence Agency (DCIA) and senior CIA officials and support to the President’s Daily Brief staff. To do this, he daily arrived at work at 3:30am and had the report completed for viewing by 5:30am. 

Did you have any special twin traditions or rituals?

While playing little league baseball, we enjoyed going to Steak n Shake as a special treat after some games. 

Do you have any stories about when you switched places or played a trick on other people?

We didn’t have to try to confuse people. It seemed to happen naturally as people couldn’t tell us apart. I remember a track coach complaining to our Costa coach that “he” ran too many events (limit was four) because he didn’t realize there were two of us (Pat ran more distance events and I ran sprints).  

When Pat started his banking career on Wall Street after we graduated from Georgetown University, I visited him before I began working. I went to a Mets baseball game, wearing my Cubs hat, tee shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. I went by his office, and a few of his coworkers said we should prank his boss. So I walked into his boss's office, pounded my fist on his desk, said I deserved more money - as Pat walked in, everyone burst out laughing. 

Another was when we both worked for the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations during college at Georgetown. I started the beginning of sophomore year. About a week after I started, another spot opened for another Assistant Clerk. The spot had to be filled by someone from Illinois, as the chairman of the committee was Senator Charles Percy of Illinois. My boss asked if I knew of anyone and of course I mentioned Pat. So the background investigator who did my security clearance had to go back and ask the same people the same questions. Senator Percy sang Happy Birthday to us at a holiday party. He also was the father of twins and took time to talk with us. Most people there couldn’t tell us apart, and we had some good laughs when people didn’t know there were two of us. 

One thing you wish people understood about twins?

Twins are still individuals and should not be typecast as having all the same interests. We each had individual sports, activities, etc. Yes, we had many similarities too. 

Do you remember a particular time when either you or Pat went different directions in terms of your interest, and that it was tough to handle? 

We both were very interested in attending Notre Dame. It was Pat’s  first choice, while Georgetown was mine.  Because of financial constraints (Single parent, two entering college at the same time), financial aid was a major factor. Georgetown had a need-blind admissions policy, where admitted students received a combination of scholarships, loans, work/study), so even though we both were accepted at Notre Dame and Georgetown, financially it would have been impossible for even one of us to go to Notre Dame.  So the choice was Georgetown, which turned out fine for both of us. 

I know when I first started working after college it was an adjustment without Pat. But he was thriving in New York, was engaged, and starting his career. So I made new friends, enjoyed working in St. Louis, and was close enough to Galesburg to visit my mother and friends. 

Some people claim twins have a twin clairvoyance where you are more aware of the other's thoughts, feelings, emotions- do you think you have ever experienced this? 

There were definitely times I could tell what he was thinking without talking about it. We played basketball, football, and track at Costa, and I remember times we just naturally made instinctive plays in football, assisted on a basket, or had great handoffs on relays. 



After losses in sports, was it good or bad to go home and always have a twin there?

I think it was good. We kept each other grounded and never got too emotional about either wins or losses. We always kept things in perspective. 

Can you think of a time when your twin did something really well and while you may have been happy for them, it was hard to deal with them being better at that than you?

I never was jealous of his accomplishments or achievements. I was proud of and happy for him. We both had different accomplishments in sports, school, and life.

What's good and bad about being a twin in sports?

Good far outweighs the bad. Always had someone to play sports with, talk to, etc.  I think one negative was being typecast as having everything the same, as far as interests, goals, etc.

Advice you would have to other twins?

Embrace the experience but develop individually. 

Massey

Mike and Pat Tadie were part of one of my first cross country teams in the Fall of 1978. While they were twins, it really didn’t take long to be able to physically tell which was Mike and which was Pat. 

As adults, they went different directions professionally- Mike working for the CIA and Pat for New York banking. Both have been highly, highly successful. 

After college graduation, when just starting out in their careers, they set up two funds at GHS. One was to help a student of need to go on the Washington D.C. government trip- Project Close-Up. And the other fund was to help students of need to buy track spikes. 

I learned that while Mike and Pat were indeed unique and different- they shared a set of core values- thoughtfulness, commitment, and compassion that they shared.

 Melinda & Melissa Cadwell

GHS 1990

Massey- Melinda and Melissa shared an uncommon work ethic that is not matched by many athletes. They were extremely athletic and they combined with Tiffany Sibley to be a nightmare for other teams with the defensive pressure. Offensively they very different. Melissa was a heady ball handler who seldom shot, while Melinda was not as strong as a ball handler but a prolific shooter. 

I struggled during their sophomore and junior seasons to be able to tell who was Melinda and who was Melissa. We were not at the point that in practice we could afford practice jerseys with numbers, so identifying them was a real challenge.Their sophomore coach, Gary O’Malley came up with solution. Melissa wore black shoe laces and Melinda wore white shoe laces. This solved the problem and by the time they were seniors, I could recognize them without numbers or shoe laces. 

Today Melinda and Melissa work as custodians at GHS. Things have not changed- they are still extremely hard working individuals. 

Kaylah & Kylee Townsell

GHS 2017

Heather Townsell- Mom

Growing up Kylee and Kaylah were very close. They understood each other better than anyone. They knew what made each one happy and what made each one mad, which may have happened more often than not lol. They could argue with each other but nobody else could mess with the other one. This was also true when they played basketball and volleyball. On the court they played different positions and crafted their own skills. They had a unique dynamic characterized by intense competitiveness and a strong bond. They knew each other's strengths and weaknesses which allowed them to know where the other one was on the court and what to do to help each other be successful in every game. 

Nook Townsell (Father)

The twins played many years together.  They got a feel for each other playing together for so long.  The thing that I enjoyed between the two was their competitive nature defensively.  One would get a steal, so the other would get a block next time down court.  They motivated each other defensively.  Offensively,  they followed different philosophies.  One aggressive to score, the other looking for the coach's offense to get her a shot if she was open.  They had times where the argued amongst each other (sorry coach).  But they would be prepared to hard foul anyone that disrespected the other twin.  In the end the played aggressively, argued between each other aggressively, and protected each other aggressively.

Kylee Townsell  GHS ‘17

I went to Methodist College and when I graduated, I worked in the NICU at OSF for one year and then transferred to the OSF Pediatric Clinic and still there currently. Living in the Peoria area.

Did you have any special twin rituals or traditions?

There weren't any twin traditions or rituals, just team traditions. We would go on walks with a teammate around the second floor of the high school and just talk out all of our nerves. We did not pick each other because we are constantly around eachother at home, so there is nothing we haven't already talked about.

Did you ever pull any switches?

We switched places a few times with our teachers. There was a time we switched seats in a history class with Mr.Hickey. He had no idea. Some of our classmates knew we switched, mainly our closer friends. The classmates we were not close friends with also had no idea.

What is something you wish people understood about twins?

One thing I wish people knew about twins is that we are human, with human emotions. We are two different people and would appreciate being treated as such. We get bunched together or referred to as "the twins" more often than not. Twins do appreciate their individuality. A lot of people think twins are fascinating and think we can do things other human beings cannot. Some of the questions asked can be very personal or borderline disrespectful. I have had random people come up to my sister and me, pinch one of us, and then ask if the other felt it.

Was it ever tough when you went separate ways?

When my sister moved out after college, I definitely had to adjust to the change. I wouldn't say it was any different than another sibling moving out. She still lived in the same town as me and I knew we would still talk because she is my best friend.

Have you ever felt you had a “twin clairvoyance”?

I do think we have more awareness towards one another than most. We did grow up at the same time and spent a lot of time together since we were in the same grade. My sister is my bestfriend, so when something happens, I usually know how she will react since we are around eachother all the time. In terms of sports, we played together since a very young age so I could tell what move my sister would make compared to others. If our parents separated us more, I think we would not have such a strong connection or understanding of one another.

In sports when you lost, was it good to always have a “teammate” to go home to?

It was good to have a twin who plays on the exact same team to go home to. We would rehash the game and what we could have done better. We each had someone there to vent to who completely understood since they went through the same thing.

Was it ever tough when your sister had more success at something?

My sister was on the all state team and I couldn't have been happier for her. I was so proud of her for making that team! She deserved nothing more and there was not a negative thought in the back of my mind. We have always been very supportive of one another.

Did it help you in sports having a twin on the team?

One good thing about having a sister on the team was that I knew someone would always have my back. We got into a little trouble with that one hahaha. One bad thing about having a sister on the team was that we spent almost too much time together. Sometimes our frustrations with one another or arguments would appear on the court or in practice.

Any advice to twins?

I would like to stay true to yourself! Just know you guys are great together, but amazing apart as well. Have fun and enjoy your time together!

Kaylah Townsell.  ‘17
She went to Methodist College and when I graduated, she worked in the NICU at OSF for one year and then transferred to the OSF Pediatric Clinic and still there currently. Living in the Peoria area with a daughter and a son. 

Did you ever switch places?

We have switched places a few times in class and it was not noticed by teachers. We also get asked constantly if we are twins and we do have a few fun responses when we get tired of being asked. For example, we would say at the same time "No, we don't look the same, act the same, or talk the same. We aren't even related." Or we would say "No, we're cousins"

Is there anything that you wish people understood about twins?

One thing that I wish people understood about twins would be that just because we look very similar, does not mean that we are the same person. We have different personalities, interests, and lives. We are our own individuals and like to be treated as such. I do not like to be identified as, or called solely "Twin".

Has it ever been difficult dealing with when you go different directions?

My sister and I have gone through life together and even attended the same college. Once graduating with our RN/BSN, we decided to go our separate ways. It was difficult not having her by my side as I am typically used to. I do however think that it has made our relationship stronger by being apart. We have time to actually miss each other and cherish the moments we do get to spend together.

Do you believe you have a “twin clairvoyance”?

We get asked this question more often than not. Most people believe that twins are able to read each other's minds and feel each other's emotions. This is inaccurate. In a sense, I have a better understanding of her (her likes, dislikes, quirks, and emotions) as we were constantly together.

Did you feel it helped you athletically being twins?

When you are always around someone for years, you understand them on an emotional level and understand their preferences. As an athlete, I do not feel that I was able to anticipate the actions of my sister more than anyone else on the team. I was able to play with most of the same teammates since | was in grade school and with the years of experience with this, I was able to anticipate most teammates actions due to years of continuity.

Was it good or bad to always have a “teammate” to go home with after a loss?

Sometimes it was a good thing to have my sister to reassure and comfort me after a loss. It could also be difficult at times going home with my sister after a loss because we would sometimes feed off of each other's negative energy.

Was it ever tough dealing with it, if you sister had more success at something?

I was always supportive of my sister when she would get an award or when she would have a better game than me and it would push me to want to work harder. It could be difficult at times due to other people's comments. Sometimes people would identify us as the "better player" or "better twin" regarding sports. It did help that when we played sports, we always played different positions than the other.

Did you feel it made you stronger?

It was difficult being in sports with my sister at times because we were always being compared to each other. It was also nice to play sports with my sister as we would always push each other to be better.

Any advice to other twins?

I would advise to cherish the playing time with your sibling instead of comparing each other's skills and accomplishments in sports. Foster individuality, and remember your own strengths and weaknesses. Celebrate and support each other's successes and rewards.

Massey- A famous saying goes, “Nothing great is achieved by being lukewarm.” Kaylah and Kylee have never been lukewarm about anything. That is how they are wired and that is what they expect out of each other. 

While Kaylah and Kylee were elite athletes and skilled athletes, their competitiveness and intensity was off the charts. I am convinced that in basketball, they fed off of each other. 

At the basketball banquet Kaylah and Kylee’s senior, I made the remark that when I watched them play that my thought was, “Why couldn’t you have had triplets?” 

It turns out triplets were to come in a couple years!!

Ella, Grace, Taylor Herchenroder

GHS 2027

Heather Herchenroder- Mom

The impact as athletes….

Positive….they push each other to be their best and hold accountability over each other.  When one wants to go to the gym to get some shots up, the other two go with because they cant let the other one get ahead.  

They make it fun.  Going to the gym by yourself can be boring, cumbersome, but they can make each other laugh, play silly games, challenge one another and what may have seemed like a chore in the beginning has become something that they throughly enjoyed.

This could be a positive and negative….they hold each other to a higher standard than others.  They have expectations of themselves as well as each other.  If those expectations aren’t met they can get a bit growly with one another and maybe a little bit meaner to one another than they would be to another teammate.

Negative….they constantly compare themselves to one another.  The cool thing about them is they each bring something different to each sport.  They do not have all the same strengths. I have had to work really hard on getting them to buy in to what their strengths are and that without that their team might struggle.  The hardest part is sometimes those strengths don’t translate into getting recognized while a sisters strength may get recognized.  For example in soccer…..Taylor played defense, Ella was a striker…..she scored a lot of the goals for the team.  Taylor didn’t.  Ella got the glory.  It was hard, but she finally understood that Ella could score 10 goals, but if the other team scored 11 we lost.  She was responsible for helping their team win by stopping the others teams goals and that was just as important as Ella scoring the goals.

I have learned that having triplets is really expensive!!

They share a bond that has been amazing to watch grow over the years, on and off the court, track etc.

They have a constant best friend and that walking into unknown situations is completely different than it is for a singleton….they have never had to walk into a situation alone…..they are always flanked by someone who has their back no matter what.  This gives them a different type of confidence than others.

Ella Herchenroder  GHS ‘27

Did you ever play a trick on people and switch?

We never really switched places for anything, everyone just got confused with me and Taylor because we look alike compared to Grace.

Anything you wish people understood about triplets?

I wish people understand the bond we have. We spend everyday together and we know each other better than anyone can.

Were there times it was challenging because you began to develop separate interests?

For me it was middle school because all of us started to become ourselves and find new hobbies and new friends throughout the years. So sometimes I would feel left out here and there. 

Do you feel there is a clairvoyance with triplets?

For me I don’t think there was a time I felt how my sisters felt I can always tell from their faces but that’s really it. For sports there are times when we are in sync and do the same thing on the court and we do off the court too. But yes I can sometimes anticipate what they are going to do or say.

Is it good having a someone to always go home with and to after a loss?

Sometimes going home with them is good so they can help out what we need to do better with our game and sometimes bad because we don’t want to hear about the loss just yet.

 

Were there times it was tough dealing with a sister being more successful?

Sometimes in sports I would get jealous for what they did or accomplished and I couldn’t do but I was happy for them and that they accomplished it. 

What is good and bad about being a triplet in sports?

A bad thing about being a triplet in sports is we could get mixed up and someone thought one of them did it but it was really the other one. A good thing is the chemistry we have and the bond we have in that sport. 

Any advice for other twins or triplets?

Advice for other for twins/triplets is always be best friends with your sisters. They are built in best friends and you have them for the rest of your life.

Grace Herchenroder.  GHS ‘27

Did you ever switch places?

I don’t have any stories of doing that because I am the fraternal one. 

What would you like people to know about triplets?

I wish people understood how it doesn’t feel like a big deal to be a triplet. 

Is it hard to deal with if one of you goes a different direction?

It’s not been hard because we really have the same friends and hobbies. If someone isn’t good at something, we just help each other out. 

Do you have any sense of a “triplet clairvoyance”?

I have experienced this as an athlete. I can normally tell what their next move is because I have played with them my entire life.

Is it good or bad to have a “teammate” to go home to after a loss?

It wasn’t good or bad, we never really argue about games. Sometimes we reflect, but others are just quiet rides home. 

How tough is it when one of your sisters is more successful at something?

There has been multiple times I have been jealous, but happy for my sisters. It is hard not wishing it was myself, but it just pushes me to work even harder. 

What is good and bad about being a triplet in sports?

Good- I can yell at them because they are my sisters. 

Bad- There can be a lot of anger and arguing. 

Any advice to other twins/triplets?

My advice would be to get as friendly and close with your twin/triplet to make everything easier. 

Taylor Herchenroder   GHS ‘27

Did you ever switch places?

No…Ella was always too scared to

What would you like people to know about triplets?

We are our own people.

Have you had to deal with each of you going different directions?

We do about everything together, so no. We have about the same friends and play the same sports.

Do you feel there is such a thing as clairvoyance among triplets?

Yes, there are times I think I’m aware about their thoughts, feelings, etc. When playing a sport I can sometimes anticipate what they’re about to do. 

Is is good or bad having a “teammate” to go home to after losses?

Most of the time it’s fine. Neither good or bad. 

Have you had to deal with a sister being more successful at something than you?

Yes, for track the 4x400 split times. For basketball it’s playing time, points, and also what people say about each of us. 

What is good and bad about being triplets in sports?

Good- people against you don’t know who you are. Just hearing, “They look alike”, on the court.

Bad- A sister gets your “glory”, and you get yelled at for something your sibling did.

Advice for other triplets?

Your twin/triplet are your bestfriends forever, don’t forget that. They are with you forever so make it fun, mess with people (if you look alike).

Lily Furrow (Cousin). GHS ‘27

Lily has grown up with Grace, Ella, and Taylor. Lily is one year older. 

What have you learned about triplets?

 I mean every set is going to be different, but for Ella, Taylor, and Grace, they all have their own personalities, but they wouldn’t be who they are without the other. They have the same friends and do the same sports. It’s kinda like you’re getting a 3 in 1 deal. You can’t find one without the other two near by. In one moment they could all look different from each other, but then the next they look almost identical. Being around them my whole life definitely helped in knowing who was who, and noticing the differences in each one. It’s really cool actually. 

What are your observations about Grace, Taylor, and Ella?

With them being sisters you’re obviously going to have the small sibling bickering, but they also know what the other is feeling and have, that like, mind reading ability for each other. In basketball, they all pretty much play the same position. If one needs help, they’ll go to their sister. They just click together like puzzle pieces. But then they have that competitive side to them where they always want to be better than the other. This pushes them all to work hard, which in the end, is making all three of them better. 

Being able to say that I know triplets is really cool, but to say that they’re my cousins and we go to the same school and do the same sports with each other is a whole different thing. 

Massey

Coaches always like to that their team is a “family” and/or that their players have a “sisterhood.” Obviously coaches hope for a team to be close knit. 

Ella, Grace, and Taylor are an example of what “sisterhood” on the court really looks like. That competitiveness has driven them in athletics. They make each other better in sports. 

Coaches casually throw around “sisterhood” and “family.” If a team can develop those qualities, it makes the team stronger. Ella, Grace, and Taylor bring a unique “sisterhood.” They have the ability to give each other tough love when needed, as well as hug when needed.