High School coach Calvin Davis Jr. has 38 trophies in the school case

"There are 400,000 kids playing high school tennis in America. What kids like the most is the team concept," explains long-time Charlotte Country Day coach Calvin Davis, Jr.

Davis, one of the most successful high school tennis coaches of all time in terms of state championships, has been the boys’ and girls’ coach at the private school in Charlotte, N.C., since 1990. His total: 38 state championships.

Those who have played for Davis know of his passion for tennis, a sport he has been playing since he was 10. A native Charlottean, Davis remembers his first tennis lesson. 

"The first person who taught me tennis was David Crawford. He was one of the first African Americans to graduate from the University of North Carolina. In short, he used tennis to improve his life, and I try to help others with that same drive."

Numerous achievements

Davis said that Crawford taught tennis before joining the aircraft-engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. When he took the job at Charlotte Country Day in 1990, he felt he was lucky to find a private school that allowed him to get involved in the Charlotte community.

He cultivated that mission and ran with it, resulting in:

• Over 35 years of coaching experience, primarily at Charlotte Country Day School, leading to 38 state high school championships
• Coached 2006 US Open doubles semifinalist, Tripp Phillips, and three other professional players: Walter Kennedy, Robby Poole and Jamal Parker
• Named Tennis Coach of the Year five times by the Professional Tennis Registry
• Charlotte Observer named him an “All-Time Top 10 Coaches for All Sports” in Mecklenburg County.
• Founded the Davis Foundation to support under-resourced youth in Charlotte's Eastern Corridor and other areas of the city that have lacked access to facilities, coaching and other necessary resources.

Davis has made it his legacy to bring tennis into underserved areas of Charlotte and throughout North Carolina. He has provided tennis programming to more than 500 underserved juniors, helping them learn the game and important life skills to succeed in higher education. 

Among all his interests, coaching high school tennis has been Davis's true passion.

Davis has instituted a six-team program at Country Day, building boys’ and girls’ teams at three levels: middle school, high school junior varsity and high school varsity.

Feeder program key to success

Davis says the middle school feeder program has been the key to Country Day's success.

"Starting with the middle school team, we have a ‘no cut’ policy. The best thing about having no cuts is that kids you thought wouldn't make it turn out to be the best players."

Davis and his staff think the beauty of high school tennis is the team approach. In that spirit, he teaches not only tennis, but leadership and hard work.

When some say, "Why tennis? Isn't it too expensive?"

Davis answers, "You don't have to be a nationally-ranked player or even very experienced. You get instruction, practice every day, match play and the school picks up most of the costs."

Team of coaches and administrators

Davis said he couldn't do it without his elite staff and the school administration's support.

"The learning process has changed. We have an incredible coaching staff, and having the coaches prepared and able to adjust is what makes us successful. We try to simplify tennis so everyone can enjoy it. My son, CC, is on the staff, and we have former college players helping out, so they all bring their unique experiences."

He is also grateful to the USTA for issuing a mandate for high school tennis. Davis said this could change everything, especially for high school coaches without a ton of tennis experience. The coaches will receive materials and tools to help them do a good job, including tips on bringing a tennis team together, running practices, and proper techniques.

"I tell my parents and my kids that I'm not trying to win a state championship. But give my players the tools to win at life and remember everyone who played on that team. Your teammates and a glorious or unexpected win, you'll remember forever."