Varsity Cross Country
Heb. 12:1 states, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
We never want to just focus on being the winner of a race. How we run the race matters. In Cross Country at Grace, we are always concerned with character development as well as speed and endurance. This is a demanding sport that forces an athlete to find out who they truly are. With a different race course every week, students have to keep their eyes moving around. This allows them to see each other and the wonder of God’s creation anew every day.
NEWS
CALENDAR
Jessica Hicks
Academic Success Center & Cross Country Coach
Jessica Hicks
Academic Success Center & Cross Country Coach
B.A., Cedarville University
Jessica has been a part of the upper campus Academic Success Center since 2021. She received her bachelor’s degree from Cedarville University in Ohio. Jessica has previous teaching experience which includes years teaching second and third grade, as well as homeschooling her four children for 13 years. Her oldest son, Payton, graduated from high school, and her other three children, Colby, Caleb, and Olivia attend Grace Community School. Jessica and her husband, Steve, attend Grace Community Church, Old Jacksonville Campus along with their children. She loves to travel, camp, hike, run, and just enjoys the great outdoors.
John Keeling
History, Economic, Government, Cross Country & Track and Field Coach
John Keeling
History, Economic, Government, Cross Country & Track and Field Coach
B.S., Texas A&M University
John has worked as a high school teacher from 1996 to 2000 in the Houston public school system and in the local public school system from 2000 to 2012. He has been at Grace since 2012 coaching speech and debate, and teaching Modern World History, US History, US Government, and Economics. He received his B.S. in Political Science from Texas A&M University. John and his wife, Bonita (Bo), have two daughters at Grace, Ela and Madeline. John and his family are members of First Baptist Church Tyler (South Campus) where John teaches an adult Sunday school class and Bo works with the eighth and ninth grade girls. John is a self-described nerd who loves all things political, science fiction, the 80’s, and Star Wars, He also loves running and hiking with his family.
Middle School Cross Country
Heb. 12:1 states, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
We never want to just focus on being the winner of a race. How we run the race matters. In Cross Country at Grace, we are always concerned with character development as well as speed and endurance. This is a demanding sport that forces an athlete to find out who they truly are. With a different race course every week, students have to keep their eyes moving around. This allows them to see each other and the wonder of God’s creation anew every day.
NEWS
CALENDAR
Hannah Goetz
Grammar, Writing & Cross Country Coach
Hannah Goetz
Grammar, Writing & Cross Country Coach
B.A., Texas A&M University
Since receiving her degree in English from Texas A&M in 2013, Hannah has taught English at the middle and high school levels. She has also worked in safe homes with teen girls for five years. She graduated this summer with her graduate degree in English Rhetoric and is excited to be a part of the Grace Community Family. In her free time, she can be found at the gym, anywhere outdoors, traveling, or spending time with family and friends.
Brennan Taylor
Mathematics, Basketball & Cross Country Coach
Brennan Taylor
Mathematics, Basketball & Cross Country Coach
M.Ed., Wayland Baptist University
Brennan is a 2012 graduate of Grace Community School and earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United States Air Force Academy. Brennan served on active duty in the Air Force for five years and had the opportunity to work as an engineer and program manager at the AF Research Laboratory, a small-business liaison, and STEM outreach coordinator. A passion for education pushed him to switch careers, and thus he joined the GCS team in 2021 to teach mathematics and engineering. Brennan also earned a master’s degree in education from Wayland Baptist University.