OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Former professional athlete and Marion County resident Grace Daley is on a mission from God.
Daley was born in Miami but attended school in Marion County from kindergarten through 12th grade. She graduated from Lake Weir High School.
Because of her prowess on the basketball court, she was recruited by Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She played there collegiately for four years and was eventually drafted as the fifth overall pick in the WNBA draft. She was selected in the first round by the Minnesota Lynx.
She became a journeywoman basketball player, playing for four teams during her four-year WNBA career, Minnesota, New York, Houston and Phoenix. Simultaneously, she played for seven years in Europe where she had the opportunity to shoot hoops for teams in France, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and Russia.
“This is my town,” said Ocala resident Daley, who earned her master’s degree in education and is pursuing her doctorate in Christian Leadership. “This is where I grew up. This is where God said, ‘Come back home.’ During my professional career, I would always come back home. I only played in the WNBA for the first half, and the second half I played in Europe. So, for the summers, I was always home.”
After retiring from professional basketball, she spent the last 15 years teaching and two of those as a fulltime minister. Daley spent four of those years teaching English at Trinity Catholic High School but has now transitioned to teaching Christian education at Grace Christian School.
Daley also taught physical education. She’s instructed students from kindergarten up to adult education, allowing her to experience the entire spectrum and providing her with a unique perspective.
Her Christian upbringing pushed her toward a higher calling. Her nonprofit, Every Day Jesus is making a difference in the lives of children in the foster care system in Marion County. It unites churches and child-serving agencies.
“I think God was giving me all kind of different life experiences, so I would be able to work with lots of different people from diverse backgrounds, and I would be able to relate to and connect with them in many different ways,” said Daley. “I’ve always known the Bible. From my dad, I learned theology, Bible stories and I can quote Bible verses. All those things like that. And then from my mom, I saw the practical side of that. So, there was always someone living in our house from somewhere, mom and dad were helping.”
The leadership qualities that Daley developed as a person, athlete, educator and activist, were in part from observing her mother, who dedicated her life to service.
“She was always providing food, providing clothes and providing shelter,” said Daley. “So, this is all I saw growing up in my house. We read the Bible, and we lived the Bible.”
It was those experiences that served as the impetus for Daley’s community involvement, shaping the athlete’s future, putting her faith in God and living what the good book says.
While volunteering at a drug and rehabilitation center, the Phoenix House in Marion County, she was able to see and meet people who were struggling with adversity. People who were working hard to get their families and lives back.
“The disconnect that we have, is that we haven’t met the people,” said Daley. “People who are hurting, you hear about them and read about them. But when you meet them, you realize they’re just like you. And we’re one decision away – and it’s either our choice or that someone else makes – from poverty, from homelessness, from all of these things. I got to spend so much quality time in that drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and got to know the hearts of those ladies and the hearts of those men.”
The turning point for her was when she was ministering every weekend at the Phoenix House. She says she witnessed the transformation in others’ lives as they got saved and baptized. Initially, she had the mindset that she was going to the facility to minister to them as part of the outreach. Instead, what she found was that she was also on the receiving end, getting touched by the experiences they shared.
“I’m preaching these sermons. I’m not preaching to you or about you. I’m preaching about my own condition, the human condition, which is universal,” said Daley. “We all are in need, and obviously our greatest need is Jesus.”
However, something would happen that would alter the outreach program, it was beyond anyone else’s control. Daley was working with a team of friends and people from her church at Phoenix House, but they didn’t foresee what was about to occur.
“And then COVID happened, and they said we weren’t allowed to come in anymore,” said Daley. “So, right next door was a huge ranch, the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch. This is one of our major youth group homes in Marion County for foster care, and they allowed us during that time to come in there and work with those kids.”
The challenge of working with the kids who are struggling the most – the one’s with the most behavioral problems and the greatest learning difficulties – compels Daley to be at her best.
“That’s who God says he wants me to minister to,” said Daley. “I’ve been on both sides. I’ve taught A.P. (advanced placement) kids, and then I’ve taught the class with kids that other teachers have rejected, and I’ve seen beauty in both.”
But it was at the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch, where Daley says she has found her calling. She understands the statistics facing children in foster care are staggering and overwhelming.
Daley says 50% of the homeless, 60% of girls and women rescued from sex trafficking raids and 75% of the incarcerated have all spent time in foster care.
“Nearly 45 % of kids in foster care don’t complete high school and when you don’t complete high school, that leads to unemployment, incarceration, and ultimately death,” said Daley. “If we could wrap our arms around these children, nurture them and bring them up in a loving environment, then we can change the outcome of the future.”
To learn more about Every Day Jesus, visit the website.