By KEVIN MOBLEY – Guest Writer
Cedar Shoals High School head football Coach Chris Davis believes his players’ success in life and in the classroom is more important than winning football games.
New Cedar Shoals High School head football coach Chris Davis puts a greater focus on his player’s lives off of the football field. Photo by Porter McLeod.
Davis embraces the opportunity to teach fundamentals and values to his players this season and for years to come.
“The biggest thing (for my coaching role) is that you’re a mentor for the guys that are looking for direction,” Davis said. “I don’t care where you’re doing that at, whether it’s at Cedar Shoals or Lakeland.”
Davis has a proven track record, totaling 15 years as an assistant coach at various schools across the country. His job as a head coach began three years ago at Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High School.
“I felt like I’ve always wanted to help people and this is probably the best niche for me to do that,” Davis said.
Davis decided to take the position at CSHS because of the relationships he made with members of the Jaguar community, namely Principal Dr. Anthony Price and former football letterman Randy Watkins. Davis knew that CSHS was the place for him, after one deciding moment.
“I was really convicted the day I interviewed,” Davis said. “I went to a Cedar-Clarke game and I felt like this was a place that needed what (my wife and I) had to offer.”
In addition to implementing his own offensive and defensive styles at CSHS, Davis has also initiated the “F.A.I.T.H.-based” mentality. This is an acronym for family, attitude, integrity, toughness and hard work, which is similar to University of Alabama head Coach Nick Saban’s “4th Quarter Program” which was implemented by Clarke Central High School head football Coach Leroy Ryals.
“(F.A.I.T.H.) means a lot. We all have to stick together and prepare for practice so that things go smoothly,” CSHS junior running back Adrian Washington said. “We just need to keep working hard and worry about each other and not the individual. Just make a team effort.”
Washington has played for the Jaguars for three years. Each year, he has had a different head coach — Xarvia Smith in 2010, Dreco Thomas in 2011, and now Davis for the 2012 season. However, Washington, who is being recruited by numerous colleges, such as, UGA, Auburn University and University of Alabama, feels that the program is heading in the right direction.
“(The change) really started last year under Coach Thomas, and he got it where it is now,” Washington said. “Coach Davis is making the program better.”
The coaches of the cross-town rivalry between Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central have very similar views on coaching. One of the pleasures that Coach Davis finds in coaching is honoring the coaching styles of opponents, and Ryals is no exception.
“I have a lot of respect for the product he puts on the field and the way he handles his players off of it,” Davis said.
In addition to his duties as a football coach, Davis also works with English for Speakers of Other Languages students at Cedar Shoals. He describes himself as an advocate for his students in their classes.
“I work with several kids, making sure that they’re getting the right accommodations they may need and they’re doing well in their classes,” Davis said.
Davis hopes to improve athletics at Cedar Shoals, but that is not his main focus. He wants to make sure that he and his staff cultivate his players, teaching valuable life lessons.
“Everybody wakes up at a different time, they go to bed at different times, but at the end of the day you’re here to help kids, see them be successful and be a better person in result of your program,” Davis said.
