I Spy: Jody Davis ‘wins the day’
“Win the Day” proclaims a large teal banner as you enter the HTC Center where Jody Davis’ office is located. Created by Davis, director of university recreation, the banner sums it up for those who work at the recreation complex.
Davis lives this motto on a daily basis, according to Tara Josey, associate director of the HTC Center.
“He has endless energy which he shares with others, and it’s contagious,” she says. “It allows for the culture of our center to stay positive and focus on the positive no matter what circumstances arise.”
Davis’ I Spy nomination comes from Debbie Conner, vice president for campus life and student engagement. She nominated Davis for his “positive attitude and his mantra, ‘Win the Day,’ as a welcome addition to the Atlantic Coast Conference staff and media who called the HTC Center home for the week.” Coastal Carolina University hosted the ACC women’s basketball tournament from March 1-5 in the HTC Center; ithe event brought 15 teams and hundreds of fans from across the East Coast to CCU.
When asked about the recent ACC tournament, Davis was noticeably humble.
“It was a pleasure to play a small role in such a great event,” Davis says. “The tournament was a collective effort which incorporated many departments.”
Though appreciative for the I Spy nomination, Davis wants to recognize others who played large roles in the success of the ACC tournament – people like Dwayne Beam, associate athletics director; Bryan Stiles, assistant athletic director for facilities and operations; Cari Rosiek, senior women’s administrator; and Chad Chandler, technical director for the HTC Center; as well as their respective staffs and volunteers. Also Davis thanks facilities staff, campus police and Aramark for their hard work during the tournament.
When the new HTC facility was opened, Davis was the obvious choice for a director, says Conner. “He has worked with his entire staff to continue to develop new programs to benefit our students, faculty and staff.”
“Win the Day” is displayed as a hashtag posted on bulletin boards and white boards all across the HTC Center, as well as on posts on the official University Recreation social media profiles. “Win the Day” is a vision statement of the HTC Center, he says.
“It encompasses that every day has its challenges, and it is our job to make sure that we provide opportunities through our service and interactions with people to give them the chance to win their day,” Davis says. “It’s not a competitive thing; it means to win your own battles. Winning the day turns into winning the week, which turns into the month, which turns into a year. Everybody loves a winner.”
Davis’ energy and passion for his job are apparent to all who engage with him. When talking about his mantra, Davis accompanies the saying with a high-energy fist pump to the air. Beth Javener, outdoor recreation coordinator, recalls that when she first met Davis while interviewing to work at CCU, the first words out of his mouth were “feel the teal” and “win the day.”
“Jody lives and breathes customer service excellence,” says Javener. “Because of this, the same mentality has been embedded in our department as a whole.”
Working with people at CCU is Davis’ favorite part of his job, which encompasses ensuring that the operations within University Recreation run smoothly and ensuring that professional staff has the support it needs. “We have worked hard to create a culture of friendliness and acceptance,” Davis says. This culture is immediately noticeable when speaking with Davis and his staff.
Davis’ staff includes eight professionals, three graduate assistants and more than 100 student workers. He oversees all of the recreation spots on campus, including the HTC Center, outdoor activities and the Williams-Brice Physical Education Center.
The nature of Davis’ job necessitates that he be on campus almost every day. He arrives at 7 a.m. every day and often puts in time on the weekends for supporting staff or organizing and attending events.
A Conway native, Davis graduated from Coastal Carolina with a degree in interdisciplinary studies in 1984 when it was a branch campus of the University of South Carolina. In 1992 after earning a master’s degree in education from the Citadel, he returned to Conway to accept the position of aquatic and intramural coordinator at CCU. In this position, Davis oversaw intramural and aquatic sports. He also taught classes in physical education and recreation and sport management.
In 1993, Davis accepted his current position as director of University Recreation upon its creation, making him the first and only person to hold that title at CCU. Davis is also the former head coach of the CCU women’s tennis team, having logged 15 seasons with the team before his resignation from that post in 2011. In 2007, Davis received CCU’s Staff Excellence Awards for professional staff in 2007.
Davis enjoys spending time with his wife, Martha, and their four daughters Lindsey, Abby, Katie and Gracie, as well as son-in-law Grayson (married to Lindsey) and his two grandchildren Norah and Hunter.
He is also heavily involved at New Spring Church, where he volunteers regularly. He enjoys going to the beach and, of course, working out.
“He does a great job at supporting his staff and letting us know he is here for us,” says Josey.
Corodinator Javener affirms Davis’ love of his job, “I jokingly call him the mayor of University Recreation as he’s always out mingling with patrons, students and staff. He has an energy about him that is almost electric.”
