By Troy Vincent
NFL Player Engagement
“A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future.”
~ Denis Waitley, Author, “Psychology of Winning”
Student-athlete Sean Davis, a senior at Washington D.C.’s Maret High School, has had a crystal clear vision for himself since he was a young boy.
This fall, when the 6’1 ½”, 180 lb. college freshman steps out onto the field at Bryd Stadium at the University of Maryland for the very first time, he knows that he has already been there. In fact, there hasn’t been a single day that he hasn’t held his dream of playing for a Division I team clearly in his mind.
But Sean had more than his vision for the future going for him. He had a clear plan on how he would get there; one that definitely wasn’t going to happen overnight.
Throughout his youth, along with steadfast determination, patience and the ever-present support of his dad, Sean set out to make his dream a reality. And, the fact that he was initially undersized and not growing as fast as he wanted to – well, that didn’t deter him at all.
In fact, Sean now realizes that starting out undersized as a freshman may have been the best thing that happened to him during his high school playing days. It also might be one of the reasons why Sean was one of the most coveted student-athletes in the state of Maryland.
During his senior year at Maret, this impressive student-athlete got a chance to show what focus, commitment, and determination can do for an individual’s vision. During his last season at Maret, he played both as a running back and as a receiver. In five games he rushed 45 times for 492 yards and six touchdowns; catching 24 balls for 381 yards and two touchdowns. Sean now has the distinction of being one of the most recruited players in the history of Maret High School; and surely the most recruited player in the past 50 years.
Just a few short years ago, Sean will tell you that no one noticed him. Not at camps and definitely not on recruiting lists. But that just made Sean hit the weights and the books that much harder.
“As a freshman, I weighed 120 and stood at 5’5”. I was definitely undersized but couldn’t do anything about how fast I grew,” says Sean, “but there were several other things I could do, so I focused on those areas of growth. I worked hard on building my speed and strength and definitely put my energy into my studies. Part of my vision for myself was to get the best education possible and I am doing that.”
“I had to be patient and felt it was important not to get frustrated. Having my father’s support was truly the backbone of my vision. Being a part of what we call ‘Team Davis’ kept me focused. My dad turned our basement into a gym; he wakes me up at 5 am and believes in me every single day. I can’t imagine being where I am without his encouragement.”
As he completes his final year of high school, Sean Davis is as proud of his good grades as he is of his game.
“I always worked really hard at my studies to make sure that I could attend a great school such as Maret, and now, the University of Maryland,” notes Sean. “Being a student-athlete, I focused on being a good student as much as I did on working toward being a good athlete. It’s not one or the other. Your future depends on both.”
The Temple Hills native recently went back to speak at the place where his love of football first began – the Silver Hill Boys and Girls Club in Prince George’s County, Maryland – and was ready and eager to share how he made his vision a reality.
“It is so important to share your own journey with others,” says Sean. “Just ten years ago, I was right here, figuring out how to make my dream come true. Now, I can offer what I learned to hopefully inspire others to achieve their own dreams.”
Sean’s message to young student-athletes is that they should recognize how blessed they are with natural abilities and talents but they must always remember that it consistently takes hard work.
“It’s harder being a student-athlete but you can do it. At times you won’t feel like getting up at 5:00 in the morning, you won’t be going out on Friday nights; you will miss parties and you will likely need to make many sacrifices, but if your vision, your dream, is important to you, it will be worth it.”
Sean believes that these three things – hard work, dedication and sacrifice – are essential in reaching any goal the student-athlete has set his or her sights on achieving.
Clearly Sean Davis knows exactly what he is talking about.