ABOUT

Taylor.

Taylor Grace Baker is a 16-year-old archer from Midwest City, Oklahoma. Originally a competitive soccer player, Baker played soccer from the age of 4 until the age of 10, when she was diagnosed with a heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. HCM is a heart condition that prevents Baker from playing hard core running sports, causing her to have to quit soccer. She was devastated because she was leaving her friends and her dream of becoming a soccer coach behind.  As time went on, Baker became accepting of not playing soccer, but truly missed the competition.  She felt lost about her path, but her faith kept her going, knowing God must have a different plan.  One day out of the blue, Baker’s mother mentioned archery.  At first, she was hesitant, but decided to give it a try.  Baker found an archery shop called Arrowhead Archery Pro Shop, located in Del City, Oklahoma.  She met with Jeff and Gayle Steele, the owners, and started private lessons. Baker fell in love with the sport immediately!  After a few more lessons, she was asked to be on their traveling archery team.  Baker was excited to join the team and to compete. She has made many new friends, and the archery community has been encouraging and welcoming. Baker has been shooting archery for 2 years, and it is her heart’s desire is to take archery to a new level.  She wants to show others that her medical diagnosis didn’t stop her.  Baker wants to encourage people to never give up and know that God has a plan.  When someone asks her who she is, Baker’s response is; “I am a person with HCM, an Archer, but the most important thing is, I am a child of GOD.  I want His light to shine in whatever I do!!