It wasn’t about winning games for Dennis Davis.
‘It’s not the wins. I’ve had over 530 wins; that’s a lot,? said Davis, Lake Orion’s varsity girls? softball coach, who has decided to hang up his hat.
Instead, what he has enjoyed the most in 37 years of coaching are the people he’s met and had a chance to have an impact on.
Davis has coached generations of Lake Orion ladies. He has even coached daughters of former players.
After more than three decades in the dugout, Davis coached his last game Saturday, June 6, a regional semifinal.
‘Age is catching up to me. The kids are throwing the ball softer,? Davis said, jokingly alluding to the fact they don’t want to hurt him.
Davis, a lifetime Dragon, is devoted to the program, but doesn’t want to limit the girls. He graduated from Lake Orion High School, where he played baseball.
In 1972, Davis helped coach the JV football team after his longtime high school friend, who was the coach at the time, told him he needed an assistant.
Afterwards, he said he realized it was the kind of job he wanted — to help kids.
Davis said he still gets e-mails from former players.
Years after she took the field, Bonnie, a former player, e-mailed Davis.
She wrote to thank him for teaching her she didn’t have to be the star, that what was important was trying her best and contributing to the team.
Davis said Carol, a former shortstop now in her thirties, comes back to football games every year wearing her 1970s softball cap. He also gets Christmas cards every year from former players. He describes this as the most rewarding part of the job.
Joe Woityra, Davis? assistant coach, said he will miss most how much Davis loved the kids.
‘He always had a story,? Woityra said.
On Wednesday, June 3 at their softball banquet, the varsity girls presented Davis with a baseball bat engraved with his name and the number years he coached and games won.
?[Davis] is such a caring, warm-hearted person and had a passion for coaching softball. He always knew how to lighten the mood if our team was down, by telling jokes. I’m glad I was able to have him coach me for two years before he retired this year with our seniors,? softball player Lauren Farrington said.
‘I am a big fan of Denny Davis,? said Shelby Phillips, another of his players. ‘He was always a great motivator, and this season, knowing it was his last, made us all want to win for him. Anyone can tell that he is a Dragon and loves the game.?
Davis said he will miss the girls and gave the still-unnamed coach taking his place some words of wisdom.
He said other people may not like it, but make sure to ‘do what you feel is right. Be able to sleep at night.?
‘Denny Davis is a coach I will never forget,? Farrington said.