RICHARD DAVIS: TEACHER, PERSONAL SKILLS COACH, HEALTH COACH
Editor's Note: I first met Richard Davis this spring. He dares greatly. You'll best get to know him through his own words. Be sure to follow him in social media for daily inspiration.
Richard Davis and his adorable daughter, Phoenix.
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Q. What is your profession(s)?
A. I am a teacher, personal skills trainer and Health Coach. Q. Where are you originally from and where do you live now? How long have you been there?
A. I was Born In King City California. Moved to Glendale, AZ when I was 11 years old and have lived there ever since. Q. Tell me about your past in sports...
A. Growing up I loved to play all sports that ranged from Street Hockey, Ultimate Frisbee, Football, Basketball, Soccer and anything in between. My favorite sport was football! I love to run and make spectacular catches. It was a different type of fun. When I moved to Arizona, nobody really played football. In the street or at the park or anywhere, honestly. Basketball is what everyone played where I lived in Glendale. So I started to only play Basketball, and became really good at it. |
"As soon as I built up the confidence in myself and accepted what happened, I made a decision to trust and believe my coaches." -Richard Davis
Q. What are the hardships you faced... and how did you overcome them?
A. Hardships… I feel my entire Basketball career has been nothing but hardships. After Freshman year at Apollo H.S., I transferred schools because we moved. The summer from Freshman year to Sophomore year, I was practicing and playing with the Varsity team. I sprained my ankle and really stretched the ligaments badly where the doctors said it is 'worse than a break'. Had to sit out the entire summer of playing. Basketball tryouts came and on the final day, the varsity coach pulled me into the equipment room and told me I will be playing JV to develop my leadership skills. I was crushed. I held it together as I left tryouts. Walking home through the school, a Senior friend approached me and asked “Did you make it?” … I just started crying. Feeling defeated… When I got home I remember sitting on my bed staring at all of my Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan posters on the wall. I kept telling myself, “If they can do it, I can do it.”… As soon as I built up the confidence in myself and accepted what happened, I made a decision to trust and believe my coaches. Varsity and JV coach who both believed in me. I showed up to practice every day with the intention to get better. By the end of my sophomore year I earned a spot on the varsity roster.
Junior year I was able to start every game. Team was ranked as high as 4th in the state. I was nominated 2nd Team All-Region. A successful promising year. Through the season I was experiencing a lot of knee pain. Thought it was just from wear and tear. I was praying for a growth spurt. I go into the doctor, they run some tests and then send me to get an MRI. Results come in. Partially torn ACL. When the doctor was looking at the MRI, he said my ACL has been torn for a couple of years and if we don’t have surgery, it can go at any moment. Just as things are starting to look promising for my Basketball career, I have surgery on March 1st 2000. They take a piece of my patella tendon and use it as my ACL. I was still very optimistic telling people I will be back fast. My body heals fast. Everything I can think of to stay positive. Then 2 weeks later, my coach who I have built a huge bond and trust with, delivers the news. Pulls me into his office and says, “Rich, I'm very sad to tell you this. I was really looking forward to coaching you your senior year. But I am not coming back next year.” Crushed. ACL, new coach. What else, right? A week later my mom tells me we are moving out to Buckeye with my oldest brother. I spent spring break out there and told my mom I want to stay at my school. I talked to a couple of my friends, asked if I could live with them, and finished my junior year living at 3 different friends’ houses. What a year it was. Still determined to be a basketball player. Still passing my classes. Still optimistic about my future.
A. Hardships… I feel my entire Basketball career has been nothing but hardships. After Freshman year at Apollo H.S., I transferred schools because we moved. The summer from Freshman year to Sophomore year, I was practicing and playing with the Varsity team. I sprained my ankle and really stretched the ligaments badly where the doctors said it is 'worse than a break'. Had to sit out the entire summer of playing. Basketball tryouts came and on the final day, the varsity coach pulled me into the equipment room and told me I will be playing JV to develop my leadership skills. I was crushed. I held it together as I left tryouts. Walking home through the school, a Senior friend approached me and asked “Did you make it?” … I just started crying. Feeling defeated… When I got home I remember sitting on my bed staring at all of my Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan posters on the wall. I kept telling myself, “If they can do it, I can do it.”… As soon as I built up the confidence in myself and accepted what happened, I made a decision to trust and believe my coaches. Varsity and JV coach who both believed in me. I showed up to practice every day with the intention to get better. By the end of my sophomore year I earned a spot on the varsity roster.
Junior year I was able to start every game. Team was ranked as high as 4th in the state. I was nominated 2nd Team All-Region. A successful promising year. Through the season I was experiencing a lot of knee pain. Thought it was just from wear and tear. I was praying for a growth spurt. I go into the doctor, they run some tests and then send me to get an MRI. Results come in. Partially torn ACL. When the doctor was looking at the MRI, he said my ACL has been torn for a couple of years and if we don’t have surgery, it can go at any moment. Just as things are starting to look promising for my Basketball career, I have surgery on March 1st 2000. They take a piece of my patella tendon and use it as my ACL. I was still very optimistic telling people I will be back fast. My body heals fast. Everything I can think of to stay positive. Then 2 weeks later, my coach who I have built a huge bond and trust with, delivers the news. Pulls me into his office and says, “Rich, I'm very sad to tell you this. I was really looking forward to coaching you your senior year. But I am not coming back next year.” Crushed. ACL, new coach. What else, right? A week later my mom tells me we are moving out to Buckeye with my oldest brother. I spent spring break out there and told my mom I want to stay at my school. I talked to a couple of my friends, asked if I could live with them, and finished my junior year living at 3 different friends’ houses. What a year it was. Still determined to be a basketball player. Still passing my classes. Still optimistic about my future.
Richard's favorite quote is, "Change your mindset, change your life. His story is proof that he has the mindset to carry on after a setback and still accomplish his goals.
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Senior year, I get cleared from my ACL surgery the day of tryouts. Rough pre-season, very young team, new coach and terrible season. We only won 6 games against the same 3 schools. It was rough. However, one good thing happened. In our first tournament, I had one good game scoring 34 points. A GCU (Grand Canyon University) coach was there scouting a different player and noticed me and expressed interest to me. This gave me an opportunity after high school because of the potential the coach saw in me. However, the rest of my senior year did not go well. We finished with only 6 wins against the same 3 schools.
I was able to walk onto the GCU basketball team my freshman year. However, I ended up dropping out after a month of attendance. I was not prepared to take and pass college courses. A couple months later, my friend was playing for the girls team at Glendale Community College (GCC) and needed a ride home. When I went to pick her up, the GCC men's coach saw me and the next day he talked to my friend about me. He relayed a message to her to have me show up to an open gym. I showed up, played decent at open gym and he told me I would be able to make the team. However, I had to sit out the 1st season at GCC because of a NCAA rule transferring from a 4 year University to a 2 year University. As a red-shirt I showed up to every conditioning session, every practice, and every home game. Sophomore year, I was officially on the team, ready for my chance. At the jr. College level in AZ, they have a Jamboree event. It is where all the junior colleges show up and play one half against another school the first official day of JUCO practice. Also many scouts and recruiters show up to analyze talent for their 4 year schools. I was not a starter on the team. I was actually 3rd string. I got my chance to play in the first game. A total of 5 minutes and I was on fire scoring 18 points in that short amount of time which caught some scouts' attention. Second game, same scenario. I got a total of 6 minutes and scored 12 points. The next couple of weeks, I was receiving letters from colleges saying 'good luck' on my season, "We can’t wait to see you play. We will be at your first game." A lot of hype and promise. I had two schools send me letters saying they will be at my first game. Going into the game, focused, excited, ready to go and… I didn’t play a single minute. Shocked, I couldn’t believe it. As the season went on, I got to play in very few games. When I did get to play, it was because we were up 20 points and the game was out of reach. |
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"I felt I worked so hard the last couple of years I knew I was going to get a break. I put in too much time, sacrificed so many things. This was my ticket and like that... it was taken from me." -Richard Davis
From this season to next, I still worked hard and felt I just need one good season to get a scholarship. As the school year was coming to an end, I found out our coach accepted another coaching position at another school. Despite this change, I was determined. I spent hours and hours in the gym, weight room and GCC bleachers to get better.
Sophomore season Jamboree comes around. I knew this is where I would be able to showcase my skills. First game comes around and played decent. Second game came around and a couple minutes into the game, my teammate took a charge and landed on my knee. I fell to the ground knowing this was not good. Mentally I remember telling myself, “I’m fine, I’m fine, get up, walk it off!” When I got to my feet, I took a step with my right leg and it collapsed. From there, trainer carried me off the court. He ran some tests and said I need to get the doctor. I actually went to the emergency room immediately to see what is going on. Doctor runs some tests, bends my knee all kinds of ways. His exact words, “You will not be playing basketball anytime soon. You have a torn MCL”. Now this was devastating news. This was the first day of my final season at JUCO and possible final season ever. I rehabbed 2-3 times a day. I remember living in the school's training room. Before, during, after class and practices. The 2nd week of games I was cleared to play. But with a giant brace on my knee, no mobility, no explosiveness, it was a really rough time.
I felt I worked so hard the last couple of years I knew I was going to get a break. I put in too much time, sacrificed so many things. This was my ticket and like that... it was taken from me. Finishing out my last semester of school, I stopped caring about classes. I stopped playing basketball and exercising. From the end of the season I put on about 30 unhealthy pounds.
Sophomore season Jamboree comes around. I knew this is where I would be able to showcase my skills. First game comes around and played decent. Second game came around and a couple minutes into the game, my teammate took a charge and landed on my knee. I fell to the ground knowing this was not good. Mentally I remember telling myself, “I’m fine, I’m fine, get up, walk it off!” When I got to my feet, I took a step with my right leg and it collapsed. From there, trainer carried me off the court. He ran some tests and said I need to get the doctor. I actually went to the emergency room immediately to see what is going on. Doctor runs some tests, bends my knee all kinds of ways. His exact words, “You will not be playing basketball anytime soon. You have a torn MCL”. Now this was devastating news. This was the first day of my final season at JUCO and possible final season ever. I rehabbed 2-3 times a day. I remember living in the school's training room. Before, during, after class and practices. The 2nd week of games I was cleared to play. But with a giant brace on my knee, no mobility, no explosiveness, it was a really rough time.
I felt I worked so hard the last couple of years I knew I was going to get a break. I put in too much time, sacrificed so many things. This was my ticket and like that... it was taken from me. Finishing out my last semester of school, I stopped caring about classes. I stopped playing basketball and exercising. From the end of the season I put on about 30 unhealthy pounds.
"Here I am 30 pounds over weight, haven’t touched a ball in months and never even thought about playing again. I show up, I play aggressive knowing they invited me to see if I can play. Til this day, you will hear me say this, “By the grace of God, I didn’t miss a shot.” I felt so uncoordinated, slow, and anything but a basketball player. When I shot the ball it felt as I never have done this motion before. Just blessed is all I can say." -Richard Davis
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In the summer of that year, I was unclear of my future and plan. Everything was geared around Basketball. So I was just lost and didn’t know what to do. Middle of the summer, the GCU coach calls me. This is a different coach than when I was there in 2001. He said “Hey Rich, we have an open gym I wanted you to come to. Your old teammate suggested we take a look at you.” Here I am 30 pounds over weight, haven’t touched a ball in months and never even thought about playing again. I show up, I play aggressive knowing they invited me to see if I can play. Til this day, you will hear me say this, “By the grace of God, I didn’t miss a shot.” I felt so uncoordinated, slow, and anything but a basketball player. When I shot the ball it felt as I never have done this motion before. Just blessed is all I can say.
After the open gym, the coach told me he really liked how I played, how I communicated with my teammates and how well I passed. I always laugh at this because in my head I was thinking, “The fact I didn’t miss a shot had nothing to do with it?” None the less, he said he didn’t have any scholarship money available but if I wanted to be a part of them team, I could come and be a GCU ‘Lope. My second chance at my dream. |
My first year at GCU was probably the most physically and mentally challenging as an athlete. We were running off of 4 a day schedule. We would have individual workouts, conditioning sessions, weight sessions and then open gym. And at open gym, you had to pick up full court man-to-man. It was all worth it, though. 1st game that was on the schedule and it was a game time decision; I was added to the starting lineup. We won the game. I knocked down four 3s and started every game after that. I finished that season as the NCAA Div. 2 National 3pt % leader. Shooting 51% from 3. It was all worth it!
Q. What is your sports passion now?
A. Sports passion now is helping young athletes with their mental strength. Over coming challenges, facing adversity and never quitting on yourself. This is what I focus on every day and try to get this across to young athletes so these strengths will carry over to the real world situations.
A. Sports passion now is helping young athletes with their mental strength. Over coming challenges, facing adversity and never quitting on yourself. This is what I focus on every day and try to get this across to young athletes so these strengths will carry over to the real world situations.
Q. What is the one lesson you want to share with teen athletes?
A. If you have a dream, go after it. With all your heart, passion and focus. Don’t listen to the rest of the world, listen to the people who support you.
A. If you have a dream, go after it. With all your heart, passion and focus. Don’t listen to the rest of the world, listen to the people who support you.
Q. What is a piece of professional advice you have to share with youth?
A. Seek council. Surround yourself with financially successful people and build a good relationship with your finances.
A. Seek council. Surround yourself with financially successful people and build a good relationship with your finances.
Q. What are your 5-year and 10-year goals?
A. I will have a Health and Nutrition business with Nutrition clubs that will provide scholarship opportunities for high school students who come from similar backgrounds. Also provide a community of healthy, positive and happy leaders.
A. I will have a Health and Nutrition business with Nutrition clubs that will provide scholarship opportunities for high school students who come from similar backgrounds. Also provide a community of healthy, positive and happy leaders.
Q. Anything else you'd like to add?
A. Live life with a grateful heart. Thank you Mrs. Barber for this opportunity to share.
A. Live life with a grateful heart. Thank you Mrs. Barber for this opportunity to share.
Editor: Thank you, Richard. Best wishes to you! #DareGreatly
