If you watch Gregory Townsend work out at the Bear Levin Studer Y, you might guess that he’s a fiercely competitive athlete. You might not guess that he’s dad to a 4-year-old, speaks Mandarin fluently and has a passion for visual and creative arts. Add his childhood moving around as a military brat, and you begin to understand who Gregory is.
His family is originally from Dothan, Alabama, but Gregory moved often as the child of a Master Gunnery Sergeant who served in Desert Storm. The oldest – and, he says, the smallest – of three kids, he now calls Pensacola home because he’s lived here the longest and “the tropical climate suits me.”
“We are an athletically dominant family,” he said, including his dad, an all-American defensive end and tight end; his mom, a track star; and his sister, who competed in the Junior Olympics. “Even my grandmother had her two front teeth knocked out as a softball player,” he laughs, explaining that sports are “not an option” for his family. Gregory played football at Escambia High, but track was his main sport. He competed in the 100, 200, 4x1 and long jump. “For my size, I shouldn’t even be running the 100, but it’s how I come out of the blocks,” he explained. “Then I had to master the 200 by focusing on running the first half and striding the second half. That’s why people make the ugliest faces in those last 60 yards – because it’s so tough.”
Gregory credits his dad’s military influence as largely shaping his personality. “I’m not just a competitor,” he said. “As a Marine military brat, I’m very structured, super disciplined, even military minded.”
But before you get intimidated by hearing Gregory talk about these aspects of his life, stick around long enough to hear about his other passions – supply chain logistics, global marketing, art, ceramics, and his son, Liam.
He holds a degree in global marketing and supply chain logistics, with a minor in Chinese, which he selected after his father insisted he pursue a business degree. Gregory leaned on his background of moving so often and his interest in international studies to create his degree. He even did a study abroad in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as part of the program.
His love of creative and visual arts has led him to pursue a second degree in art administration. “There aren’t enough African-American art professors – not even enough male art professors,” he said. Under his 10-year plan, he’ll be the dean of the art department at UWF to help change what he calls “no black male art teachers, anywhere.”
When he isn’t studying or working out, Gregory is often spending time with his son, Liam, who turns 5 in November. In keeping with the family tradition, Liam is an athlete who started working out with his dad when he was 2. “He runs with me and works out with me at the beach. I already see his track skills!” Although he and Liam’s mother don’t live together, Gregory said they have an integrated co-parenting relationship that works. “We don’t have time to fight or have negative energy,” he said. “We have one job to focus on – our son. We each stay in our lane – something I learned from track.”
As for his demanding workouts, Gregory says he goes back to what his dad taught him. “You’re fighting something every day,” he said. “Life is a mental game, with strategy and learning from mistakes.” This philosophy had led Gregory to base a lot of his training on capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music. “I do a lot of stretching and flexibility work because this is a defensive fighting style. It’s focused on form and balance and staying limber.” He credits his focus on mobility and flexibility to his mother, who, in addition to running track, was a studio dancer.
And why does he choose to make the Y his fitness home? “I love this facility. It’s clean. It’s hospitable. And a lot of other places just don’t have the same values. Everyone here is respectful, and it’s inclusive. Plus, I like stuff with more ‘fiber.’ I believe you have to make sure you sprinkle a little more fiber in everything you do.”