Coach Taylor,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work for your amazing organization. I really appreciate it!

~ Tayla 

Coach Taylor,

I want to give you a big thank you for welcoming me to the program and for helping me get the opportunity to play basketball in college! Thank you so much for your kindness and all of the extra things you've done to help me! 

I'm so excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and basketball career at Sewanee: The University of the South. I want to thank some of the most influential people that have been with me throughout my journey. I want to thank my mom who has helped me grow as a person and stood beside me at the hardest of times, my dad for hours spent in the gym and for always pushing me to be my best self, and my sister, Eliza, who has been with me through thick and thin and for being an amazing teammate. I want to thank all of my dedicated District 7 teacher, my high school coach (Sharon Dillon), my travel coach (Tyree Taylor), the best friends a girl could ask for, my young life leaders, my church, and PGC. I am honored for the opportunity to be a student at Sewanee and grateful to Coach Braden for the opportunity to continue what I love doing. Y'all haven't seen anything yet! Let's goooo!!!

Coach Tracy,

Thank you so much for all you have done for Reece over the last few years.  You and your organization have been a tremendous experience for our family and for that I thank you.  What you do for these kids is truly remarkable and shows who you are as a person.  You have touched so many kids' lives which will lead them to pass that love and generosity on to others.  You have a wonderful spirit that is a true inspiration and I look forward to catching up with you from time to time in the future.  Also, know that I will support your organization as much as possible in the years to come.

Although it appears Reece has chosen to not play basketball in college, I can assure you she learned many life lessons during our many practices, games, and travel time with the GEMS.  Wonderful memories that will last a lifetime…keep up the good work!!  Not only did she become a better basketball player, but you and your organization helped her become a better person which is a far more noble cause. 

My family and I have been blessed to get to know you and your family. 

Take care,

Bennett

Decided!! Thank you Tracy Taylor!!! You always look out for me and my family! I am forever grateful!

~ Mother (Amiri Waddell) Denise Coley; Amiri is a 2020 JUCO transfer going to the University of West Alabama

Hello,

My name is Portia Shouse. I started playing basketball at age 10 at the YMCA. I continued to play when I went to middle school. Those were some good years. I have a bad freshman year in basketball due to bad coaching and being bullied by some players. I wanted to give up basketball until I heard about try outs for the Lady Gems at Gaston Day.  I went to several open gyms and it seemed like my love for basketball was coming back. During those open gyms I was also recruited to join Gaston Day basketball team. This is how I ended up going to Gaston Day my last 3 years of high school. When I met Coach Mungo and Coach Taylor of the Gems,  they seemed to be really interested in helping me to move to the next level in basketball. I ended up playing for the Gems and enjoying myself along with having great years at Gaston Day. Coach Mungo, coach Ty and coach Taylor would come support me anytime they could. Coach Taylor continued to keep in touch with me after I stopped playing for the Gems along with  coach Mungo and coach Ty.  During my junior and senior year, coach Taylor made sure my achievements in basketball did not go unnoticed with college coaches. Coach Taylor helped in every way the recruiting process for college basketball. There would be weeks that I would have over 10 coaches contacting me or my parents. During my senior year I do believe I had over 35 coaches contacting me in some way or visiting me. The opportunity to go play for Eastern University for basketball and track would not have been without coach Taylor. My family and I can not Thank coach Taylor enough for all he has done for me and my family during this recruiting process. I wish and will continue to support Lady Gems when I can.

Thank you coach Taylor for everything!

Portia Shouse and The Shouse Family

Class of 2020

Go Spartans!

Thank you, Coach, for all of your hard work and dedication to the girls. We appreciate the opportunity Ari had to play with the Gems!

~ Mother (Arianna Hawkins) Lori Hawkins - 2019

I would like to personally thank you for the blood, sweat, and occasional yelling (but with good intentions) that you gave to our girls. Very often hats go off to the parents, but this time my hat goes off to you and your organization. It is said that it takes a village, so thank you for being part of my family’s village.

~ Mother (Cameron Johnson) Tina Johnson - 2019

I also want to give a HUGE shoutout to Tracy Taylor for allowing me to be apart of the Gems my senior year in high school and getting me the opportunity to play for Pfeiffer for these past four years! I HIGHLY recommend talking to Tracy if you are looking for a team!!! Thanks so much coach! Also I still haven't forgot about getting you a hat!

One of the things I am most thankful for is the Lady Gems basketball organization. Tracy Taylor, as well as the coaches, did a phenomenal job in helping me achieve my dream of playing college basketball. They made sure we were playing in exposure tournaments, contacted college coaches, and helped me improve my game, all of which played a vital role in me getting recruited. Tracy and the coaches continue to keep up with me and encourage me even though I am a junior in college and no longer part of the Gems organization. They are the true Gems of the organization by using their spare time to help kids achieve their dreams of playing basketball at the next level. I am so grateful for Tracy and everyone that is a part of the Lady Gems organization and all that they have done for me. 

Tracy --

Thanks for the countless hours that you have spent seeking scholarships for the Lady GEMS.  Unlike many organizations, when the season is over - the season is not over for the NC LADY GEMS.  It's camp time, college visit time, you name it!

Thanks!!

Rev. Leroy McCaskill

Coach Tracy --

I wanted to take the time to thank you for your time!  I've experienced your commitment to finding NC GEMS' all scholarships first-hand as you provided options and contacted college coaches on behalf of me and my teammates.  With much thanks to you, I'll be continuing my basketball career at Guilford College in the fall of 2016.  Thank you for contacting the coach there and putting me on her radar.  I'm very excited! 

You and TJ and Tyree are blessings from God.  My club basketball career has been phenomenal thanks to each of you and your commitment to all the players who play for the GEMS.  

I wish you much success with future teams.  Anyone who plays for the NC GEMS is on a blessed path.  You'll definitely be taken care of!

Thanks!!!!!

Alli Jackson (#10) 

"I've known many coaches, but Coach Tracy Taylor is the best.  He's the type of person that leaves no child behind.  He has a heart of gold when it comes to wanting to helping children.  Coach Taylor is the type of coach that everyone dreams of having. He will go to the extreme when it comes to helping one out.  He's full of love, patience, and he is a Godly man and father figure to all.  He's very spiritual, peaceful, and has a lot of faith in the kids that he works with.  He works hard to be sure any of the kids receive full scholarships for college.  I know God is truly pleased in the way he has kept a lot of children off the streets that would not have been able to join a organization as his, but he has worked along with the families as much as he could when he was able.  I've truly enjoyed working under Coach Taylor as team mom for many years.  Thanks, Coach Taylor, for being the best coach I've known.  God Bless You!"

~Grandmother (Alexis "Bre" Armstrong) Barbara Brown - 2014

The NC gems helped me with everything as far as college. I had no worries, but I thought playing AAU for the Gems wasn’t really going to work, but I was wrong. It helped a lot and I had maybe over 7-8 schools emailing me and calling my coach after my second year. The first year, of course, I wasn’t allowed to speak to anyone because I wasn’t a senior yet. But the NC Gems is definitely the best team to play AAU basketball for. I miss it right now as we speak and I’d do anything to go back to playing for them. Not only is it a dynasty for helping you get to college, but you also become a big family. Nothing but love and respect for the NC Gems!

Playing for the NC Lady Gems was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Initially, I thought I was joining a team but learned quickly I had joined a family. They have stuck by me on and off the court as well as inside and outside of the classroom. If it wasn’t for this organization I would have never had the chance to play basketball at the collegiate level. For that, I am forever grateful.

The NC Gems served as a family for me. I loved traveling with my teammates to places I have never been before. On top of that I got to play my favorite sport. My coaches were more of a mentor to me and looked out for me on and off the court. I will never forget playing with the Gems. It was one of my favorite experiences as a teenager.

Hi! I’m Hannah, and I stumbled upon the NC Lady Gems after moving back to NC my junior year. I had a high school teammate suggest I go see what the organization was about. As soon as I met all the coaches and team members, I felt welcome. I was a part of the organization for a short period of time however, I’m still in contact with my old coaches, teammates, and members of other basketball teams I met at tournaments! The coaches make sure you’re at the top of your game and push you to your full potential. I recommend the NC Lady Gems not only for the level of basketball but for the college exposure you will receive. The hard work that the coaches and the rest of the organization put in to make sure you have a place to play basketball after high school is appreciated and not forgotten! Thank you all.

Coach Tracy Taylor has been such a great influence from the time that I met him. I started out playing with his youngest daughter Brianna Taylor when we were 10 years old, and she was on a separate AAU team. Wow, time sure does fly by! But man does this guy really go out of his way to make sure no one is left behind, and every girl that has the love and passion for the game of basketball finds a scholarship in some way, shape, or form. He won't stop until he makes sure every young, aspiring girl gets her dream of playing college basketball! He is a Godly man, a father figure, and a great coach/team player, and one who always puts others before himself. If you ever get the opportunity to meet this man, he will not disappoint in finding the right place for you and your daughter's future. Thank you, Mr. Tracy Taylor for not only everything you did for me but everything that you are doing for the young girls out there working hard, trying to make sure their dreams come true!

My experience with the NC Lady Gems was definitely memorable. I remember moving from AAU team to AAU team trying to find the right fit that where I could both contribute to and learn from. Playing with the Gems felt like home and it allowed me to improve my game, compete at a high level, get exposure to some great colleges, and ultimately get recruited by Fayetteville State University! Thank you, Coach!

The North Carolina GEMS Organization helped provide me with the opportunity to attend West Virginia Wesleyan College on athletic and academic scholarships, which greatly eased the burden of paying for my first four years of college. Playing for the GEMS Organization helped me hone my skills of being able to prioritize tasks, work as part of a team, improve my communication on and off the court, and taught me how to be accountable. I continued to use these skills during my undergraduate and graduate education and now, I currently use them as a Doctor of Physical Therapy working in a rehabilitation hospital. Thank you to the North Carolina GEMS Organization -  Tracy, coaches, teammates, and our parents - for being an integral part of my journey!

Since I came from overseas, it really meant a lot that the coaches were so welcoming and genuinely kind to me, during our first encounter. Although I never got to play a game due to injuries, I felt their genuine interest for my future and well-being throughout my process of getting into college. Thank you, Coach Taylor and Lady Gems!

My name is Oluwatunmise Amusa, and I am from Nigeria. Coach Tracy has been there for me since high school and through my college basketball career. He is one of a kind and he's always there for me no matter what. I really appreciate everything you do. My parents send their greetings to you all the way from Africa, and may you live long to eat the fruits of your labor.

Coach, you were instrumental in the total process. From day 1 you stepped in, sight unseen, and you did exactly what you said you would do! The offers we received to play at the next level were from your efforts. Parents if you are looking for guidance in your recruiting with your student-athlete, I would strongly suggest getting in contact with Coach Taylor! His only motivation is to see your kid succeed! Thank you to Keziah L Shouse for connecting us!

I am Mary Penson, the grandmother of Kionna Jeter, and I want to say how much the NC Gems basketball organization helped us. This is truly a great organization. Thank you to all the coaches, the great advice, and all the support that was given well after Kionna finished playing with the Gems!

Coach Tracy is the best. You helped Paije with more options than she had. Most were far away or didn't have her major which is Nursing. Volleyball is different, but you helped us, and we thank you again.