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
No events found.
Tim Latham
Head Cross Country & Head Track and Field Coach
Tim Latham
Head Cross Country & Head Track and Field Coach
Coach Latham came to GCS in 2019 as a volunteer Cross Country coach. Tim and his wife, Debbie, moved back to his home state of Texas in January 2019 after retiring from a successful career (2017) in San Diego as a CC/T&F Head Coach for 40+ years. He served as Athletic Director at Sweetwater High School for 20+ years. He was a widely recognized expert in management and administration of team sports, managing/directing over 400 meets at every level during the course of his career. In early retirement he was an Assistant Cross Country Coach at San Diego City College and an Athletics Mentor for the Sweetwater Union High School District. Coach Latham has also been one of the facilitators of Nike Footlocker Nationals in San Diego for over 25+ years and still serves in that role.
Coach Latham has his Master’s degree from Baylor University and holds two Bachelor degrees from Howard Payne University.
Highlights of Coach Latham’s career include Coach of the Year 15 times; National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Section VII (comprised of the states of Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah and California) Boys Track Coach of the Year; California CIF Model Coach of the Year; High School Sports Association of San Diego Athletic Director Award; Award of Merit form the San Diego Starters Association, and awarded the National City, CA, Mayor Award. Coach Latham’s biggest honor was Induction into the San Diego Hall of Champions – San Diego County “High School Coaching Legends” Hall of Fame in November of 2018.
Tim grew up in Houston where his dad was the Pastor of Sharpstown Baptist Church for many years and he is pleased to be back in Texas near family and involved again in CC/T&F at GCS. Debbie and Tim attend Green Acres Baptist Church and have a son, daughter-in-law and 4
beloved grandchildren in Florida.
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.
Tracy Holcomb
Bible, Cross Country, & Track and Field Coach
Tracy Holcomb
Bible, Cross Country, & Track and Field Coach
M.Div., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Tracy has worked as a middle school and high school teacher since 2007 at Santa Fe Middle School, Bay Area Christian School, and Grace Community School since 2014. He has taught 8th grade US history, been an assistant coach for boys varsity basketball, and has coached cross country and track. Tracy received his bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University and his master’s degree in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tracy and his wife, Debra, have two children. His son, Joshua, is a graduate of Boyce College in Louisville, KY, and lives and works there. Hannah, his daughter, is a 2017 graduate of Grace and currently lives in Louisville, KY, with her husband, Dominic D’Ettorre, and they actively serve their local church. Tracy also serves as the bi-vocational Pastor at Westwood Baptist Church in Tyler, TX.
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
No events found.
Tracy Holcomb
Bible, Cross Country, & Track and Field Coach
Tracy Holcomb
Bible, Cross Country, & Track and Field Coach
M.Div., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Tracy has worked as a middle school and high school teacher since 2007 at Santa Fe Middle School, Bay Area Christian School, and Grace Community School since 2014. He has taught 8th grade US history, been an assistant coach for boys varsity basketball, and has coached cross country and track. Tracy received his bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University and his master’s degree in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tracy and his wife, Debra, have two children. His son, Joshua, is a graduate of Boyce College in Louisville, KY, and lives and works there. Hannah, his daughter, is a 2017 graduate of Grace and currently lives in Louisville, KY, with her husband, Dominic D’Ettorre, and they actively serve their local church. Tracy also serves as the bi-vocational Pastor at Westwood Baptist Church in Tyler, TX.