Conversations with Camille J Davis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Camille J Davis .

Hi Camille J, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I played basketball growing up. Not seriously – just for fun and because I was tall, and that’s what tall girls are supposed to do, isn’t it? I played through high school, and eventually as a walk-on at Chaminade University of Honolulu. When I got back from college, I began the job search. I was asked to coach the JV team at my alma mater. I didn’t have much interest in coaching, but it was a job, and how hard could it be? The summer before starting, I also had the opportunity to work at a sleep-away camp in Pennsylvania as a Director for the basketball program. I figured it was a great way to get my feet wet. Camp was not at all what I expected, it was hot, we played on an outdoor court, and most of the girls that attended the camp were not interested in playing basketball. By the end of the summer, I was sure the coaching like wasn’t for me, but I had already agreed to start coaching at my high school. I was more nervous than excited but I made the commitment and decided I would try it for just a year while in between jobs. My one-year trial started in 2012, and I haven’t stopped coaching since…

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been anything but smooth. Like I said, my very first summer at camp was not great – I almost quit before I ever really started. My first year coaching at my high school turned out to be a blessing. I had a lot of things going on in my private life, and the one thing that got me out of bed most days was knowing that I had a group of young ladies that needed me to show up as my best self.

In 2017, I was hired as the head girl’s basketball coach at Heritage Christian School in Northridge. I struggled, and to be quite honest still do at times with imposter syndrome. Feeling like I didn’t belong like I got this job because I was “lucky”. Waiting for someone to figure out that there is someone out there better. In athletics, we are often defined by our stats, our win/loss record. Losses weighed on me heavy. I’ve spent the better part of five years learning that my value is not in wins/losses, nor is it dependent on someone else’s beliefs.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Simply put, I am a girls’ basketball coach. I am a varsity coach, club team coach, and love doing clinics. On paper, I am a girl’s basketball coach, but in real life, I am a cheerleader, teacher, and mentor to young ladies-I just use basketball to do these things. I think that I am known for being well-dressed and being passionate. One thing that sets me apart from other coaches is my never say never attitude. I enjoy working with any young woman that walks into the gym, especially the ones who aren’t the best in the gym, the ones who are shy, unsure of themselves and their own ability. I see myself in them. I empower them to do hard things, uncomfortable things. It’s amazing to see what happens when you any give a young lady a challenge and a chance. That doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet; it shows up in how they move through the world.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Some of my favorite childhood memories are on a boat. My grandma used to live on a large sailboat. Every summer we’d sail to Catalina and stay for at least a week with minimal supervision. We’d sleep on the boat at night, then ride over to the cove for the day and run around barefoot in our bathing suits with all the other kids.

Image Credits
Photos: Brandon King