From keeping the halls safe to leading touchdowns on the field, Scott Davis, the School Resource Officer (SRO) of McLean, has embarked on a new journey as assistant coach of the new girls flag football team.
“I didn’t know what flag football was all about until I started playing,” Davis said. “I’ve been playing it for 28 years now, and I just love the game.”
Davis has been able to introduce and bring his enthusiasm for flag football to many of the new players who came in with an introductory understanding of the sport.
“Some of the girls came in not knowing how to play, and some of them had some concepts to it, but now we’re all getting it down [as a team],” Davis said. “I coach the defensive side, and they’re coming to understand how zones and the safeties work. The girls are loving it.”
From an avid player to a coach, Davis has coordinated and adapted skills that help the players improve as much as possible.
“I love coaching, [but] I obviously see its differences to getting on the field and playing,” Davis said. “So, I expect and [try to] hopefully coach the way I would want it to be done playing on the field.”
Davis’ dedication to supporting every player during practices has led to noticeable improvements throughout games.
“He really dedicates his time to each one of us to make sure everyone understands the game,” said sophomore Mondonna Sanati, the cornerback and safety of defense. “This really helped our team and made us a lot better since tryouts.”
During practices, Davis also introduced and incorporated targeted drills to help players strengthen their skills.
“A specific skill he taught us was the flag pulling technique and zone coverage,” Sanati said. “Throughout practices, we trained how to block our opponent with our whole body to pull the flags effectively, which helped us perform better during games.”
Despite opening the season with strong skill sets, the team has faced a defeat against another strong team within the league.
“The loss to Oakton was tough,” Davis said. “But at the end of the game, no one held their head down because they [knew] that they played hard and they gave it their all.”
These hardships only led to a stronger mindset across the flag football team.
“Officer Davis fuels our team’s energy, always keeping us in a positive mindset,” said junior Vivi Trang, the rusher on the defense. “He always motivates us, whether it be being a burst of energy or making jokes [even through the tough times].”
“I think for all the games we play, I see something different [from the players],” Davis said. “Now, they already know what to do during the game [by] actually analyzing and [understanding] who we’re playing against.”
Since the start of the flag football season, Davis has continued to prioritize being an approachable and respected member of the McLean community while simultaneously managing his roles as an assistant coach and SRO.
“I look at the students as young adults, [and] I want to be respected just like how students want to be,” Davis said. “But I also hope I don’t have a big difference in [my two positions] because I always want to be welcoming, regardless of if you’re coming to me because you need help for SRO or as the coaching side if you’re having something going on in your life.”
As the season approaches its midpoint, Davis shares his future aspirations for the team with the remainder of the season.
“I want to win. But that’s not going to be the end-all be-all,” Davis said. “I want them to learn something from this season [through] team bonding.”
The flag football team cherishes its exceptionally fast-paced game environment. Davis believes that despite the wide age range of team members, they can form unbreakable bonds.
“I think the girls get along very well with each other. They pick each other up. They’re always cheering for each other,” Davis said. “I would say that my main goal would be to make friendships that last, especially because we have players ranging from freshmen all the way to seniors, and to have a good time. Then, winning will come naturally.”
