Dothan youth wins gold, silver at World Special Olympics

If prayer can reveal the heart of a champion, then 14-year-old Zachary Grice of Dothan exhibits the faith of one. In the weeks leading up to the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games, Zach prayed often to bring home the gold.
   
“He didn’t pray just to compete well,” reported Zach’s father, Keith. “He prayed to win a gold medal.”
His prayers were answered. Zach, who has Down Syndrome, won the gold in the 50-meter freestyle and silver medals in the 50-meter backstroke and 4 by 50-meter relay, along with his
teammates. Sixty-five hundred athletes from 160 countries competed in the games, which were hosted in Dublin, Ireland.
   
Zach qualified for the international competition after taking a gold medal in the state Special Olympics Games last year. The U.S. swim team was selected at random from among gold medalists nationwide. In addition to Zach, another swimmer from Dothan, Brandi Deese, also competed. She captured a bronze medal.
   
Keith and his wife, Hope, and Zach’s sister, 6-year-old Emma Catherine, traveled to Ireland to watch him compete. Opening ceremonies began June 21, and closing ceremonies were June 29. In between Zachary swam six days, competing in preliminary meets one day and final heats the next.
   
The team spent five days in Belfast before the games began to adjust to their environment. Although the Grice family was able to visit with Zach during those three weeks, he stayed with his team in a separate location.
   
In bringing home the gold, Zach’s faith also seemed to win out over his parents’. “We were hoping and praying for just one medal for the three events,” his father said.
   
And like a true champion, Zach’s athletic performance won the hearts of fans. Although they didn’t go to Ireland with him, his church family at Grandview Baptist Church in Dothan kept up with Zach’s and Brandi’s events and posted results on its Web site, including daily updates from the Grices and photos from the nine-day games.
   
During the games the church also encouraged fans to send e-mail to the two athletes via its Web site. Hundreds poured in. Then when returning champion Zach wore his three medals to church, the congregation gave him a standing ovation.
   
Zach is an active member of the youth group at Grandview. Youth Pastor Allen Singley described him as “a dynamic young man” whose devotion to the youth group equals all others. “If we’re here, he’s here.”
   
And Zach doesn’t limit himself to his own church campus either. He recently spent a week at camp with the rest of the youth and shared a testimony with the church when he returned.
    
“He is very faithful,” Singley said. “Zach is very passionate in His love for the Lord and his love for others. He demonstrates that very well and sets an example in how we should love others.”
   
Zach was baptized two years ago after accepting Christ during Vacation Bible School.
   
Zach swims with a local Special Olympics swim team, the Dothan Dolphins. Although his father tried to teach his son to swim in early childhood, it was the team coach who got him swimming.
   
“We’d been around the pools most all of his life,” his father said, “but I didn’t have a lot of luck teaching him to swim.”
   
When the coach enlisted Zach four years ago, he resisted even putting his face in the water, according to his father. But within six to eight months, he was swimming with the Dolphins.
   
Zach also sings in special citizens’ choir and bowls in Special Olympics.
   
He has competed in Special Olympics track and field, and participates with his father in a National Wild Turkey Federation.
   
Such activities, geared especially for people like Zach, are important to him and vital to his development, according to his father.
   
But church activities rival them all for Zach, his father said, noting that when Keith couldn’t attend one Sunday because of work, Zach suggested he get a new job.
   
As when he’s competing, Zach puts his heart and soul into worship. “He doesn’t hold back,” said his father.