A8 July 17-19, 2014

Richmond Free Press

By Fred Jeter

Stanley Davis children, Stanley Davis II and Sydney Davis, are much the same as him ultrafast and springy. Only
there is a major difference. While the elder Davis is fondly recalled as a basketball star at Virginia Commonwealth
University, his son and daughter are all about kicking up their heels in track and field.

Stan II, a recent graduate of Glen Allen High in Henrico, won the Group 4A state title in Harrisonburg this past
spring in the 800 meters, stopping the watch at 1 minute, 53.1 seconds. That same weekend in June, Sydney, a
rising senior at Hermitage High in Henrico, was crowned State 5A long jump champ in Newport News with a leap
of 17-feet-8.5-inches.

Stan II will continue his athletic ventures in spikes this fall at Hampton University where he has received a full
scholarship from Pirates coach Maurice Pierce.

A little background: From Albemarle High, near Charlottesville, the elder Davis played VCU hoops from 1980 to
1984 under coach J.D. Barnett. With Stan Sr. as a top backup guard, the Rams made the NCAA hoops tournaments
in 1981, 1983 and 1984, all three times advancing to the second round. His teammates included such Rams legends
as Edmund Ed Sherod, Calvin Duncan, Rolando Lamb and Mike Schlegel.

Reporters from that era recall Barnett raving about Stan Sr.s athleticism, noting he was the fastest man on the team
at any distance. Nowadays, he is an accountant for Markel Insurance in Glen Allen. Outside work, he finds
athletic happiness playing in the Henrico Coed Senior Softball League. The former Rams leaper is quick to credit
his better half, wife Sharon, with equal billing for their childrens success, noting she ran high school track, too, in
New York, and one year at Virginia Union (University).

Both Stan II and Sydney are versatile all-round track standouts. In the Conference 20 finals, the son won the 300-
meter intermediate hurdles in addition to the 800 meters. At HU, he plans to focus on the grueling 400-meter
hurdles. Two weeks after the state championships, he traveled to Greensboro, N.C., where he placed sixth in the
800-meter race in New Balance Nationals
with a time of 1 minute, 50.6 seconds.

Stan II is that rare athlete who is capable of being highly competitive at any race from short sprints to a mile. He
said hes chosen longer runs because they provide him with room for growth. I started off at 100 then increased it
100 or so every year, he said. His racing role models are Bershawn Jackson and Edwin Moses, both former world
champions in the 400-meter hurdles.

In addition to the long jump, his sister qualified for 5A state competition in four other events the high jump, high
hurdles, intermediate hurdles and 4-x-400 meter relay. She placed fourth in the high hurdles, sixth in the
intermediate hurdles and helped the Hermitage Panthers earn fourth in the relay. She did not place in the high jump.

Both Stan II and Sydney flashed basketball talent before focusing on track and jumping pits. Basketball was my
first love, said Stan II. My dads friends always assumed Id play basketball; they even said I walked like a
basketball player, whatever that means. Stan II gave up hoops as a Glen Allen senior. But that doesnt mean he
wouldnt win a dunk contest even at 5-foot-10. Actually, it was the height factor that may have convinced Stan II
he had more potential in track. By comparison, his father is 6-foot-2. That height thing, said Stan Sr. But it has
worked out well; God had different plans for Stan II. Sydney, 16 months younger than her brother, also played
basketball before concentrating on track during her junior year at Hermitage.

The family lives in the Hermitage zone. Stan II went to Glen Allen because he was admitted to the specialty
program based there, the Center for Education and Human Development. At graduation, he ranked among the top
10 percent of Glen Allens seniors, in finishing with a 4.3 GPA. (Henrico grades on a 4.0 scale, but awards extra
credit to students taking advanced placement courses.)

Away from classroom and track, Stan II is an avid comic book collector, specializing in Marvel superhero vintage
editions.