Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Davis named DNJ Sportsperson of the Year
12/31/2016 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee head basketball coach Kermit Davis has lived and coached in the Murfreesboro community for 15 years.
Throughout his tenure, Davis, 57, has been a leader both on and off the court. For his outstanding role in the community, the Daily News Journal has named him its 2016 Sportsperson of the Year.
"I'm very honored, because there are a lot of well-deserving people who effect our community at a really high level in a lot of different ways," he said. "It's quite an honor to be named DNJ Sportsperson of the Year.
"When a coach is awarded this type of honor, it's a credit to your supportive wife and family, committed and talented players, a hard-working staff and a very supportive administration to which I would like to say thank you."
Davis and his wife, Betty, and their two daughters, Ally and Claire, moved to the area before the start of the 2002-03 season. Since then, they have become engrained into a community for which Davis is forever grateful.
"We've been here 15 years, and we're so lucky that both of our daughters kind of grew up here," he said. "This is definitely what we all call home. It's been a great experience, and we're excited about being a fabric of the community, for sure."
To go along with providing the community with a successful team on the basketball court – Davis is the all-time leader in wins at MT – his players have also been a mainstay in charitable events off the court.
The Blue Raiders under Davis have done work at boy's homes, The Special Olympics, Special Kids, The Learning Clinic, local schools and countless other organizations in his 15 years.
"That's one of the coolest things that Betty and I get, along with our team, is the charitable things that we're involved with and just watching how charitable our whole community is," he said.
It's the giving spirit of the community that has drawn Davis and his family in, and is the reason they look for every opportunity to get out and help in any way they can.
"We have great friends that we'll have the rest of our lives, whether I'm the coach or not the coach," Davis said. "I think the one thing that has taken us is just how giving Murfreesboro and Rutherford County are. We've been in a lot of charitable communities, but I don't think I've ever been in one that gives so much in a lot of different areas."
Despite having opportunities throughout the years to leave, Davis has again and again chosen to stay at MT. He said the decisions he and his family have made, while difficult at times, have paid off in more ways than one and have been made easier by the stability at the university.
"I've been lucky – not many college basketball coaches have 15 years later the same president that hired them still be the same president of the university," Davis said. "Not only is Dr. [Sidney] McPhee my boss, but he and [his wife] Liz are great friends of Betty and I and the girls. A good, stable administration has been a big part of Betty and me staying here when we did have some opportunities to go."
The loyalty shown to Davis and his family by the Murfreesboro community is more than he could ever wish for, and he hopes the generosity is being reciprocated by his team.
"There's an old corny saying that I heard growing up in Mississippi that you have to root for your community before your community will root for you," he said. "What I hope is that our players get to meet so many different people out in the community, then when they start raising their families, they enjoyed that and want to give back to where they are."
Throughout his tenure, Davis, 57, has been a leader both on and off the court. For his outstanding role in the community, the Daily News Journal has named him its 2016 Sportsperson of the Year.
"I'm very honored, because there are a lot of well-deserving people who effect our community at a really high level in a lot of different ways," he said. "It's quite an honor to be named DNJ Sportsperson of the Year.
"When a coach is awarded this type of honor, it's a credit to your supportive wife and family, committed and talented players, a hard-working staff and a very supportive administration to which I would like to say thank you."
Davis and his wife, Betty, and their two daughters, Ally and Claire, moved to the area before the start of the 2002-03 season. Since then, they have become engrained into a community for which Davis is forever grateful.
"We've been here 15 years, and we're so lucky that both of our daughters kind of grew up here," he said. "This is definitely what we all call home. It's been a great experience, and we're excited about being a fabric of the community, for sure."
To go along with providing the community with a successful team on the basketball court – Davis is the all-time leader in wins at MT – his players have also been a mainstay in charitable events off the court.
The Blue Raiders under Davis have done work at boy's homes, The Special Olympics, Special Kids, The Learning Clinic, local schools and countless other organizations in his 15 years.
"That's one of the coolest things that Betty and I get, along with our team, is the charitable things that we're involved with and just watching how charitable our whole community is," he said.
It's the giving spirit of the community that has drawn Davis and his family in, and is the reason they look for every opportunity to get out and help in any way they can.
"We have great friends that we'll have the rest of our lives, whether I'm the coach or not the coach," Davis said. "I think the one thing that has taken us is just how giving Murfreesboro and Rutherford County are. We've been in a lot of charitable communities, but I don't think I've ever been in one that gives so much in a lot of different areas."
Despite having opportunities throughout the years to leave, Davis has again and again chosen to stay at MT. He said the decisions he and his family have made, while difficult at times, have paid off in more ways than one and have been made easier by the stability at the university.
"I've been lucky – not many college basketball coaches have 15 years later the same president that hired them still be the same president of the university," Davis said. "Not only is Dr. [Sidney] McPhee my boss, but he and [his wife] Liz are great friends of Betty and I and the girls. A good, stable administration has been a big part of Betty and me staying here when we did have some opportunities to go."
The loyalty shown to Davis and his family by the Murfreesboro community is more than he could ever wish for, and he hopes the generosity is being reciprocated by his team.
"There's an old corny saying that I heard growing up in Mississippi that you have to root for your community before your community will root for you," he said. "What I hope is that our players get to meet so many different people out in the community, then when they start raising their families, they enjoyed that and want to give back to where they are."
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