Damon Davis, a senior soccer player at Cedar Shoals High School, recently broke the school’s single-season goal record, which had not been broken in over a decade. This comes at the peak of his high school career but unfortunately was not enough to make a playoff run.
Davis looks back on the moment that he broke the record and what drove his success this season as he prepares for the DiVarsity Georgia High School All-Star Soccer Games on May 17.
Q: How were you able to consistently find the back of the net this season?
A: I feel like you just kind of have to have the mindset to shoot the ball. You just take your opportunities and make the best of them.
Q: Did you aim to break the single season record or did it happen on its own?
A: With last year, I did not know about it but I came one goal away from getting it, so after I found out about it, I really did want to break it this year.
Q: Can you describe the moment when you knew you broke the record?
A: I knew right at that moment that I broke it, and also after I did, they announced it, so it was a really nice and enjoyable moment.
Q: What did that moment mean to you?
A: It meant a lot, especially not to have broken it last year, but breaking it this year it was a real good accomplishment.
Q: This record hadn’t been broken by a men’s player in over a decade. What do you think contributed most to your success this season?
A: I feel like definitely my teammates. They definitely played a big part in my success on the team.
Q: How do you measure your success beyond scoring goals?
A: I also lead the team in assists, so I like to get my teammates involved to and make sure that everybody gets there and gets a goal.
Q: Your assists this season have also contributed to your team’s success. How do you balance looking for opportunities to score with creating chances for your teammates?
A: Sometimes you do have to be selfish, but in other opportunities you need to make the right move and make that pass.
Q: Being a multisport athlete, how have the skills that you learned in football benefit your soccer career?
A: I feel like playing football, I was really just a kicker, but I feel like being a strong sport you have to be very physical, so I was always in the weight room with them and always putting in all the extra work that they put in. It definitely made me more of a physical player.
Q: As a leader on the team, how do you keep your teammates motivated, especially in tough games or when facing strong opponents?
A: I just always make sure that they are always ready before the game and that we stay locked in if I see it. And also, if I see anybody is down, you know, I make sure I pick them up and make sure everybody stays level-headed.
Q: How would you describe your job as a senior and team captain?
A: I am not necessarily a role model, but I feel like they all look up to me in their own different way. And I feel like that means a lot, so I got to set a good example for everybody else.
Q: Do you have plans to play in college, and if so, what does that look like?
A: I am still exploring my options with schools and all. I do not have any offers yet, but there are people that have reached out to me and come to some camps and all that good stuff. I am definitely going to explore that, but I also might go overseas and try out for a pro team.
Callie Clark is a student in the undergraduate certificate program at the Carmical Sports Media Institute at the University of Georgia.
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