Johnny Davis Retires

LITTLEFIELD — At the start of this year’s football season, there was a familiar face missing at Ayden-Grifton High School’s practice field. For the first time in his 35 years of teaching and coaching, Coach Johnny Davis missed football practice.

"It’s kind of strange, but I’ll get used to it," Davis said. "Instead of coaching from the sidelines, I’m going to coach from the stands."

Davis officially retired from the school system on March 1, 2004 but didn’t completely put his teaching and coaching career aside until the end of the school year, which ended in June.  "It was time," Davis said of his retirement. "I guess when everybody starts working, they look forward to retiring. I enjoyed teaching. I enjoyed coaching. (But) I wanted to get out while I could walk out. A lot of people stay too long."

Davis taught at Ayden-Grifton High School for 12 years. He was the girl’s basketball coach for five years and has also coached softball, football and track in the past, and says some of his fondest memories are of championships and undefeated seasons. Davis also taught at South Ayden High School and Ayden Middle School and spent some time teaching in Jones and Lenoir County as well as in Virginia. But most of Davis’ career was in Ayden schools.

"I’ve coached pretty much everything there is to coach," he said. "(One of) the best memories I have is being part of the first Ayden-Grifton Boy’s State Basketball Championship in 1974."

While coaching at Ayden Middle School, Davis and his team went five years undefeated, winning 37 games in a row. Davis’ winning record at Ayden-Grifton is impressive as well, where his final record was 505 wins and 198 losses in his five years of coaching girl’s basketball.  But these great numbers are merely second place to what Davis says is his number one greatest memory. The championships and undefeated seasons come in second. "I met my wife through coaching and teaching, that’s got to be the number one thing right there," Davis said. "There’s a lot of great memories and a lot of good times. The good times outweigh the bad times."

Davis was honored at the Athletic Banquet held in May for his years at Ayden-Grifton High School as a successful teacher, coach and friend. Davis said the recognition was an unexpected, yet welcome surprise. Davis was presented a plaque by the school as well as an alarm clock and some extra cash, which was raised by the community. "You won’t find a better faculty than we got at Ayden-Grifton High School," Davis said.

As for Davis’ future, he says he has no definite plans but plans to still be seen around athletics in Ayden, where he says he may help out in the future. Davis also plans on continuing to umpire and teach driver’s education. Mainly, he hopes to be able to spend more time with his four grandkids. "I’ve got enough to keep me busy," he said.

Davis admits it will be hard not teaching and coaching for the first few months but says it was time to move on.

"I miss it," Davis said. "I miss the kids. I miss the staff and faculty. But they say, you know when it’s your time and it’s my time. To me, it’s just one phase of my life. I’m getting ready to start another one hopefully." 

"Being a part of athletics, it’s a lot like life, and if you really look at it, it is."

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