Published: 12:00 AM, Tue Jul 31, 2012
Douglas Byrd football team gets a Texas-sized addition in Christian Davis
On the first day of practice at Douglas Byrd, coach Russell Stone received a gift.
While the Eagles were working out just two receivers, Christian Davis showed up with practice already in session. Davis arrived in Fayetteville two weeks ago as a transfer from Foster High School in Richmond, Texas.
Sporting borrowed cleats and without a jersey, Davis soon joined the starting offensive squad and presented himself as a go-to target. He clicked right away, making catch after catch in seven-on-seven and even breaking down on "beat South View" with the rest of the team.
Davis, a junior, played linebacker on varsity since his freshman season at his Houston-area school. Stone said Davis will definitely play wide receiver and either linebacker or safety.
Coming from Texas, Davis is used to the big-time football atmosphere that the Eagles provide.
"Being in Texas for most of my life, they play hard," Davis said. "They lived it, they ate it, they breathed it."
Davis is living with his mother in Fayetteville while his father, who's in the military, is still in Texas. Davis has more family in this area, and his brother will be a freshman at Byrd. But being that most of his belongings are still in Texas two weeks after the move, he hasn't quite found a way to fit in. It's football that's allowing him to do that.
"Football brings guys together," he said. "These are new guys that I'm meeting, so I come here and try to grow a family."
- Chris Moore