Building A Solid Foundation

Liberty-Eylau High School’s Dewaski Davis looks forward to mentoring athletes in his new role as Interim Athletic Director and Head Football Coach

by LINDSEY MCMILLAN

photo by ALAMOND PHOTOGRAPHY

Both Dewaski and his wife, Debra, enjoy being with their family, relaxing, and shopping.

During the Queen City Bulldogs basketball season of 1999, Coach Davis converses with player, Jason Peters, who currently plays football in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Coach Davis talks to his players during a timeout during a Leopards versus Rabbits game in 1999.

Coach Davis (far left) has fond memories of the Clarksville Tigers basketball team winning the 1A Division 1 State Championship in 2011-2012.

Coach Dewaski Davis has been named the Interim Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Liberty-Eylau High School.  He joined LEISD last school year and served as an assistant football and varsity basketball coach. He has over 25 years of athletic experience, first coaching at Queen City High School in 1991. He is happy to be a part of Liberty-Eylau and wishes to continue the strong athletic tradition that the Leopards are known for. 

A 1986 graduate of Queen City High School, Dewaski was born and raised in the area and his parents, George and Katherine, still reside there. He was a four sport letterman while at Queen City and received a football scholarship to Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas.  He played for one semester and then transferred to Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he played for one and a half years.  He was injured and unable to continue playing so he transferred to East Texas State University-Commerce where he graduated in December of 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Health.  

Dewaski was thrilled to return to his alma mater to begin his coaching career and was part of the baseball team traveling to the state tournament that year.  Calling his placement an “excellent fit,” he remained at Queen City for 13 years as the Head Coach of various sports.  A year after his arrival, the baseball team won the state tournament in 1992. Coach Davis moved to Pittsburg High School where he was the defensive football coordinator for one year.  He then served as the special teams coordinator and baseball coach at Ore City High School.

Coach Davis returned to Queen City as the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach for three years and then moved to Clarksville High School and was their Athletic Director for 12 years.  In 2019, he sought the opportunity to be closer to home with the move to LEISD.  Always up for a challenge, Coach Davis always knew he wanted to be part of athletics and that coaching was always part of his career plan.  He credits good coaches he had when in high school with instilling him with the tools and knowledge he needed for his own career.  He says, “They gave me a well-rounded view of athletics.”

He met his wife, Debra, on a July 4th date, and they dated for five years before marrying in 1998.  A native of Texarkana, Debra works with Texarkana Independent School District and is involved in a variety of community service projects.  They have two grown sons and five grandchildren who live in Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana, and in Virginia. They are happy to be closer to family and when not busy working, he and Debra simply enjoy relaxing and shopping.  

Coach Davis’s plan for the upcoming school year is a goal which is routine for him.  “I hope to bring a sense of community among the athletic program while bringing a winning tradition in all sports,” he explains.  A primary focus of his is to prepare each athlete both mentally and physically to prepare them for life.  This year has definitely brought challenges to all school athletic programs with the COVID-19 pandemic halting all spring sports and schools abruptly closing in March.  He admits that moving forward will have its challenges but one he and his staff are up to. He is very positive about the year ahead, and the high school has already begun a successful strength and conditioning summer program.  Heading up a program amidst uncertainty, he is hopeful that everything will move smoothly, thanks to the excellent leadership within the district among administrators and faculty.  He reiterates to his players that they are students first and athletes second.  He is also grateful for the previous school year which enabled him to get to know the staff and students prior to stepping into this new position.  

Coach Davis’s athletic staff is comprised of 19 male and seven women’s coaches which span grades 7-12.  He is solely focused on growth and is proud of the first-class facilities of LEISD which are poised to move forward.  For example, the high school tennis courts were just recently resurfaced and new nets installed.  After the upcoming football season, they intend to replace all of the field turf.  Liberty-Eylau has a tradition of producing stellar athletes, and Coach Davis’s vision includes a sense of community within the district.  “I want to lead an athletic program that cares about the kids, outside of coaching which provides leadership in order to produce a well-rounded athlete who is productive and successful in society,” he acknowledges.

Coach Davis is excited about the new leadership within their Athletic Booster Club saying that they have a good vision and opportunities for sponsorship.  He says the district is on to bigger and better things, and he has always learned from past mistakes which strengthens his own experience.  He recalls a former baseball coach who shared some sound advice.  This includes, for example, “Outwork your opposition”; “Be as good as you can be”; and “The more you put in, the more you get out.”  Such advice has kept him on track throughout his lengthy coaching career.

One fond memory he recalls is one with the Clarksville boy’s basketball team winning the state title in 2012.  He had always envisioned being in Austin for a tournament in basketball after coaching the sport and seeing that accomplishment as the pinnacle of one’s career.  Coaching across different sports has enabled him to lead a well-rounded program.  Noting several L-E athletes who went on to successful professional careers, he encourages alumni to come back and be a part of the school.  For example, last fall the department started an alumni basketball game which he hopes will become a strong tradition.  Coach Davis concludes, “Our focus needs to be on building a solid foundation.”  This foundation is a strong one with students, teachers, administrators, parents, and alumni coming together to represent LEISD with pride and success.