Dear editor:

It is with great displeasure that I find myself writing this letter in regards to Coach Kirven Davis. Upon hearing of his firing I immediately called my son to see if he was okay, I then proceeded to call Coach Davis to express my dissent with the decision that was made.

 From the moment that Coach Davis arrived at CCHS as the new basketball coach I knew that there would be a challenge simply because of the rich football history in Colquitt County and the lack of support for the basketball program(s) from previous years. Although the challenge was there, Coach Davis took it head on and immediately addressed some serious issues with our young men. You see Coach Davis is more than just a coach he is mentor, father figure, friend and educator. My son and brother-n-law have both played for Coach Davis and although every season may not have been a winning one in the competitive sense they were in the sense of team work, perseverance, and overcoming adversity in times of struggle.

This may not mean much to you all but as a parent it means the world to have someone that actually cares about how your child is doing off the court. When I met Coach Davis one of the first things he asked me was is your son in college preparatory classes? My son participates in three different sports at CCHS and he is the only coach that asked about my son’s academic progress.

I have witnessed the ups and downs of the basketball team as well as other sports; the significant difference with basketball is that even when there are losses they have been taught by Coach Davis how to handle it with dignity and pride. I have also been a witness to other sports where the kids have been called “losers” among other things without very much encouragement or guidance on how to perform better within a team atmosphere.

 Coach Davis wasn’t blessed with the best of talent but he worked with what he had with little exclusion mainly because it’s about more than winning the game. Coach Davis’s approach is more winning the kid and sending them out into the world with a little more life knowledge than they came in with.

Coach Davis has assisted many players with their secondary educational goals (my brother-n-law graduates this fall) giving them what seems at times the last glimmer of hope for their future. Coach Davis is not the type of coach that dismisses a player after the season is over if they were a senior player like I have witnessed other coaches do. My son is not “allowed” in certain areas of the school now that a particular sports season has concluded although theses areas don’t belong to any one coach, what type of examples are being set here?

 If you win but can’t get into college you’re okay? If you win but can’t read a book from an eight grade level, you’re okay?  These are the things that Coach Davis will address with the student and the parents because it is about more than a game to him and his staff. It is truly a sad day for the kids remaining at CCHS whether they are playing basketball or have simply had an encounter with Coach Davis.

He has touched so many lives in a positive way for me a simple than you is not enough. If there is anyway possible that the decision to terminate Coach Davis can be reversed you will be giving the CCHS family, students and parents their mentor, father figure, friend and educator back.

LaTonya DeBruce

Moultrie