Coach Davis Wayne-Wilson News Leader, Fremont, NC

By Sarah A. Wise
NL Staff Writer
High school coaches always dream that one year, their team will take a state championship title. This year, that dream came true for C.B. Aycock baseball coach Charles Davis.
But for Charles, the high points of this season weren’t about the scorecard as much as they were about playing the game.
“It was a lot of fun coaching these guys this year,” he said.
This year’s team stands out for him, he said, because the group worked together as a team to accomplish a single goal - bringing home the state championship.
“Those guys had one goal in mind,” he said. “As a coach, that’s what you strive for, to have a group of guys working together as a team. At times I had to get on them, bring them back on track, but overall it was an exciting and fun time.”
This standout season comes during Charles’s 19th year as a coach and teacher. He has spent his entire career in northern Wayne County: he started out coaching at Norwayne Middle School, but moved up to the high school in his third year.
Charles said coaching is something he always wanted to do, growing up in Black Creek. Though he said he knew at a young age he wanted to coach, his career choice was firmly decided when he was in high school. He said the decision became clear when he was playing baseball with Beddingfield High School coach E.D. Hall. Coach Hall inspired a love of the game in his players, and Charles said Hall greatly influenced his decision to be a teacher and coach.
“A lot of influence came from E.D. Hall,” he said. “I liked the way he held himself, and the influence he had on kids, and I wanted to be able to do that.”
Judging from what a few of Davis’s players had to say about him, he has achieved those goals.
“He’s one of the nicest guys I know,” said Bradley Taylor. “He got on us when we needed it, like a father, but he is a friend, too.”
Thomas Pilkington echoed the same idea.
“When we started as sophomores, he worked us hard then to prepare us,” he said. “He’s a great coach and friend, just like a father figure to all of us.”
Davis’s love of sports also influenced his decision. He said that, though he was a fairly good baseball player, he knew his career wouldn’t lie in playing the sport professionally. Coaching and teaching were a way to continue with the sport.
“I was decent enough to play in college, but I knew I wasn’t going any further, so I started to prepare myself for after that,” he said.
He said he’s been blessed to work at Aycock for the past 17 years.
“I love it here at CBA,” he said. “I’ve been blessed and I’ve enjoyed it. The community support we have here is great. At those championship games, to look up into the stands and see everyone that came out to support us was a great feeling.”
One of the most rewarding aspects this season, said Charles, was getting to see the joy of his team when they won the championship.
“You see improvement all year long,” he said. “But to see the look on their faces when they get to accomplish their goal, it’s unbelievable.”
Even though the ultimate goal is seeing success at the end of a season, Charles said his favorite part of coaching actually comes during the earlier part of a season.
“I really enjoy teaching the game,” he said. “And then seeing the kids when they go out and do what you’ve taught them is a great feeling.”
His family shares his love of sports. His two children, Connor, who will be an eighth grader at Norwayne in the fall, and Kyle, who is a rising fourth grader, are both actively involved in sports. He and his wife Rhonda, a math teacher at Aycock, spend much of their free time watching the kids play sports.
“Connor is very active in three sports, and Kyle is very active,” he said. “Honestly, our spare time is spent with them.”
He said that his wife Rhonda has always been one of his greatest supporters.
“She grew up around sports too, and she’s been a very big help with coaching, and with the kids being in sports,” he said. “Sports have always been a big part of her life too.”
As Charles prepares to spend a little time off this summer, he knows he will still be involved with sports.
“I like working outside; I could never have a desk job,” he said. “I just enjoy being around ball fields, doing that kind of work. It gets me away.”

Issue of 5 July 2007

Headlines

Championship teammates head for college

Election time approaches

Proposed changes for Fremont worker policies

New officer, programs for Fremont police

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Princeton News Leader
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