Dear Ram Nation,

Where do I begin? These last nine years have been truly priceless in so many ways. I could never imagine a life without Suffolk Athletics – no Ridgeway, no van rides, no Boston campus tours, no city fields – and now, it’s here. This situation has me somewhat unsure of what to say, which I am certain comes as a shock to most of you, but it’s only right that I say thank you and “see ya later” - because we all know that I am too invested for this to be “goodbye”.   

When I came back to Suffolk in 2012, I desperately wanted to coach college softball and I thought that whatever else came along with that would just be part of what I had to do to get on a field and build a winning program. I had absolutely no idea what that meant and ultimately, what it would end up meaning to me. Suffolk Athletics has given me so much that I will never be able to repay. The opportunity to be an administrator and a Head Coach so early in my career turned out to be a never-ending gift. As I finish up my final days at Suffolk, I think that it is important to acknowledge how I will remember my time as a Ram.

When reflecting back, I will always consider my Suffolk Softball family to be my greatest blessing. I am so incredibly fortunate to have coached and worked with so many amazing young women. To them, I have to say thank you. Thank you for giving me all of you, all of the time. Thank you for trusting me with your future and for believing in my vision. Thank you for your early mornings and your late nights; for your good days and your bad days; for all of the learning moments (yours and mine); for working through the tough times and for celebrating everything else. When the pieces came together, it was magic and I loved every single second of it. I hope that you did too. I hope that during your time in the program you always felt supported and empowered, and that you were reminded of the joy of playing the game that you fell in love with so many years ago. Lastly, I hope that your memories as a Suffolk Ram as are fond as mine are.

When I think about the Suffolk Softball family, it encompasses everyone – alumni, families, current staff, former staff, support staff, and most importantly, the current players - there was nothing worse than having to make that call. I hope that you all know how much you mean to me and how difficult it was to walk away from this program. The most difficult decision was considering not being your coach anymore. You have touched my life and my heart during the most challenging of times and I could not be more proud of what we have built together. I know that this program is in great hands because each of you will put on a uniform in the spring and carry on without skipping a beat. I want you to know that you are strong and resilient; you are capable and have just started to scratch the surface together – and I will always be your #1 fan! 

Part of my fortune at Suffolk was being surrounded by great people – most notably, a great staff. They say that great Head Coaches hire a staff that can compliment and challenge them – one that is full of people that can learn from each other and teach the game as well as, or better than, they can. I am not sure where I fall on the scale of bad to great, but I do know that I hit the softball jackpot of coaching staffs. To Taylor, Lauren, Jenn and Tray, there are not enough words to express my sincerest gratitude to you for being by my side season after season and for everything that comes along with that. Thank you for your love of the game, your love of our team and your unwavering support of me, on and off of the field. Thank you never seems like enough of an expression though. Great assistant coaches are priceless and I hope that you know that you are all irreplaceable. I also hope that you share in my sentiments and that you will hold the memories of our softball family as close to your heart as I do.

Again, “thank you” is never enough, but I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge how important the people around you are. Our softball support staff was unbeatable. Amy and Erin, your work with our student-athletes does not go unnoticed. You are part of the well-oiled machine. You keep us on the field competing; you celebrate our victories and keep us on the hunt for more. Carolyn, Al and Delaney – everyone’s favorite van drivers and Spring Training enthusiasts! Thank you for taking the time to make us important and for being there to start our season when we needed the most support. Ashley and Taylor, thank you for helping to build the culture of women supporting women in Athletics. It is so important and invaluable in our student-athletes’ experiences.

In the softball world, my coaching and support staff were second to none. I am not sure that I could recreate that kind of loyalty and dedication. Ultimately, the ability to have success on the field and to build a successful program progresses from the support that you receive from your colleagues. And while I am so proud of the softball program, I have that same sense of pride for the entire Athletic Department at Suffolk. Although there were bumps in the road, I would work side by side with Cary, Anthony and Jeff again and again, if given the opportunity. Their friendship, competitive nature and constant push for progress challenged me to be a better professional, a better coach and a better person. I will always value our time together, and the sacrifices and progress that we made for the betterment of Suffolk Athletics. The addition of new staff over the years, along with the investment of the staff that came before, allowed us to create the Suffolk Athletic Department that you see today. It is a place full of professionals who are invested in their programs, their student-athletes and the overall experience of the department. To our staff (and there are too many to name individually), thank you for your buy-in, for your enthusiasm and for your desire to be a part of something special. Thank you for your work in giving our student-athletes the experience that they deserve. Perhaps the biggest thank you should go to Coach Nelson. Thank you for taking a chance on a young woman that just wanted to make a difference. This opportunity has shaped me personally and professionally in ways that I never knew it could.

Lastly, none of this exists without our students. It has been an absolute pleasure working with our student-athletes and watching everyone grow year to year. Thank you for your support of the softball program and for always making me feel like a part of your successes as well. Thank you for buying-in to our visions for the department and for being a great representation of the University. I hope that you can all continue to support each other and create the experience that you are hoping for. And a very special thank you to the Women’s Ice Hockey program for honoring me as their “assistant coach” – being a very tiny part of your program and your game day ritual was incredibly special to me. 

As I mentioned, I never knew what being an administrator meant or what it would mean to me. Here I am, nine years later, and I could have never imagined how much I would love the other title that Suffolk gave me. My role as an administrator has given me so many opportunities to meet athletes and staff members of other programs, as well as students and colleagues from around campus. I have watched thousands of games, hired hundreds of student workers and played many different roles over the years. This experience brought some of the best people into my life and on my office couch – for that, I am eternally grateful. That couch has seen many naps, a lot of tears and a ton of procrastinating, but more importantly, it helped develop relationships, work through challenges and make decisions. I hope that you will all continue to use it as a way to welcome your next Associate Athletic Director/Head Coach so that they can share in this incredible experience that is truly Suffolk Athletics.

So for now, this is “see ya later”. Suffolk Athletics and Suffolk Softball will always hold a very special place in my heart. No matter how far, I will always be rooting for all of you. 

All my best, always.

Coach Davis