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Georgia gymnast Grace Taylor is an Academic All-American with a 3.97 GPA who strives to do missionary work after she graduates.

AMAZING GRACE: Gym Dog Taylor is 'perfect little ambassador'

By: TYLER ESTEP

Posted: 2/27/09

Georgia may have its answer for Tim Tebow.

Grace Taylor, the Gym Dogs' three-event dynamo and all-around good person, is the consummate Christian and the epitome of both parts of the word "student-athlete." A health promotion major and aspiring missionary, last year's NCAA beam champ is so much more.

"She's our perfect little ambassador," coach Suzanne Yoculan said. "She represents us in every aspect of her life and how she conducts her life."

Taylor was homeschooled during her childhood in Aiken, S.C., and raised in a tight-knit, Christian family with her two sisters and brother. College has turned her into an Academic All-American with a 3.97 GPA, but it was her experiences at home and in Aiken that have made her who she is, and what she wants to be.

Taylor said she still calls her mom "four or five times a day," and

both of her sisters have been plagued with illness throughout their lives. Her sister Hannah, 18, was not expected to survive birth, and still lives with Turner syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that manifests itself in physical and mental deficiencies. Her other sister, Phoebe, 15, was diagnosed with diabetes at age six.

"I remember when I woke up and [Phoebe] wasn't there, because she had gone into a coma, she was vomiting and almost died," Taylor said. "So to see my mom provide that care, I was always interested in medicine, how the body worked and science."

It was Hannah that lead her to her church family in Aiken.

"When we moved to Aiken from Baltimore, we were looking for a church that would bury an infant, because my sister was probably not going to survive birth," she said.

The Taylor family stopped at a small church, and found a man tending to the yard, pulling weeds and raking. That man was Steve Taylor, the pastor of, appropriately enough, Grace Brethren Church of Aiken. His brother, Mike Taylor, is a missionary to Africa.

"He's just a [physician's assistant], but he goes over there and delivers babies and saves lives," Grace Taylor said. "He got to be more than just a physical person, he was there for these people, and knew them. They were his friends and he made a difference in their lives. He's one of the people that I've seen in my life that is the most fulfilled with what he does. I feel like the Lord has just kind of prepared me for it my whole life."

While she's yet to be out of the country on an official mission trip, struggling to find "a time when I'm allowed to not train for more than like two weeks," Taylor finds ways to serve in Athens. She leads Sunday school classes and church groups, and helps teach children gymnastics and dancing.

And, of course, she's always there for her teammates.

"Being here for the girls, whenever they need something from me, this is my mission," Taylor said. "Going out and living my life for the goodwill of the people."

Every Wednesday night, Taylor goes to Cornerstone Church of God to participate in the SHINE program, playing, dancing and worshipping with kids betweens the ages of five and 12. She teaches them gymnastics too.

"It's all based on encouraging them, and helping people," she said. "There's no skill level required. It's about having them achieve and encourage each other and positivity, and using their talents to glorify God. I love them so much. And it's just reaffirming too that this is what I want to do."

Said senior Gym Dog Courtney Kupets, Taylor's roommate: "She loves little kids, she loves playing around with them, so for her to be able to go to different countries and help those that are less fortunate than her is something that she would totally fit right into. I feel like she's done it her whole life with her siblings."

Taylor is also an outstanding student. She said she'll have over 120 hours after this semester, and is still pursuing her degree in health promotion.

"Gracie loves gymnastics, but as far as I can tell she actually prioritizes school and the professional goals she expects to reach by majoring in health promotion," said Dr. Katie Darby Hein, Taylor's professor and advisor in the College of Public Health.

"In other words, gymnastics is how she gets to go to school - not the other way around with school being how she gets to do her sport."

As far as "her sport" goes, Taylor was last year's NCAA beam champion, and, on a Gym Dogs squad that has often been marred with inconsistency this season, is one of the only Georgia performers that has been perpetually excellent. She's second in the country on balance beam, and has scored below a 9.85 only four times this season.

"In our team meetings she's listening to every word, embracing every concept, taking notes," Yoculan said. "She is going to get the most out of life that she can possibly get out of life. She is not going to miss a moment. She's not the kind of athlete that's going to doze off in class or talk to somebody else when you're talking or not be interested. She's interested in everyone, she's interested in every idea. She's just so full of life."

Said teammate Courtney McCool: "She is the most Godly, caring, gracious, beautiful person inside and out, passionate person I've ever met in every aspect of life. In school, in gymnastics, in her family, her siblings, her friends, it's always, 'What do you need? I can keep it together, I'm here for you. I'm here for God and I'm here to serve God's people.' Grace is really hard to sum up because she's such an amazing human being."

Taylor said she only learned of Tebow's exploits last fall, but has drawn inspiration and comfort from the Gator quarterback's example.

"It's awesome," she said. "I wonder if I'll run into him some day. It's so encouraging that I'm not the only one out there."

So when the Gators come to town Saturday, is there any chance Taylor will take it easy on them, show a little Christian compassion?

Not a chance.

"Florida beat us at SECs my freshman year. And I don't appreciate them as a school because of that," she said. "I don't like to think of myself as someone that holds grudges, but I don't particularly like the feeling of getting beat by Florida. And within my power I definitely don't want to lose to them."