Davis leaves Compton, makes history
By Roger Moore
NCAA.com
Joey Davis has heard all the clichés associated with where he grew up.
Guns, violence, poverty, drug abuse. Story after story, in print and on the television, gives the American public a taste of what Compton, Calif., is like.
As a multi-sport star at Santa Fe High School, Davis grew up in a culture where friends and schoolmates made poor decisions that led to more poor decisions. Meanwhile, Davis was excelling, especially on a wrestling mat. He won California state titles as a junior and senior and has spent time on the mat with Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs. He’s tangled with perhaps the best pound-for-pound man in Division I, Oklahoma State senior Alex Dieringer, a two-time national champion on a 77-match win streak.
Frank Romano was a two-time state wrestling champion for Maple Heights High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University where he qualified for the NCAA Championships three times. For the last three decades Romano has coached in Ohio, including a seven-year stint at Kent State. In 2006, he was asked to lead a new program at Notre Dame College, less than a half-hour drive from his high school alma mater. By 2010, NDC was at a championship level, winning the NAIA trophy. By 2014, after transitioning to Division II, the Falcons were national champions.
Two motivated individuals from opposite ends of the country with two very different backgrounds. How did these two paths cross?
Anthony Ralph, named co-head coach with Frank Romano before the 2015-16 campaign, made the trip to Los Angeles to meet a highly-touted high school senior. NDC recruits nationwide ― 18 states are represented on the Falcon roster – and Davis had participated in a few high-level prep tournaments. Ralph had to convince an 18-year-old that Notre Dame College was the right place to be.
“Not really a pleasant place to grow up,” said Ralph of his visit to Compton, part of Los Angeles. “All the stereotypical things you hear … it can be difficult. Joey has told us some stories. But the thing that sticks out is how Joey’s dad (Joey) raised him. From the beginning it was about what we could do for him on an academic level. It was the academics from the beginning, about finding a place where Joey could succeed. The smaller class sizes and all the things a smaller campus can provide. The phone was ringing off the hook while I was there because (Notre Dame College) was not the only program after him. With his talent, that was obvious.”
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NCAA.com
Joey Davis has heard all the clichés associated with where he grew up.
Guns, violence, poverty, drug abuse. Story after story, in print and on the television, gives the American public a taste of what Compton, Calif., is like.
As a multi-sport star at Santa Fe High School, Davis grew up in a culture where friends and schoolmates made poor decisions that led to more poor decisions. Meanwhile, Davis was excelling, especially on a wrestling mat. He won California state titles as a junior and senior and has spent time on the mat with Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs. He’s tangled with perhaps the best pound-for-pound man in Division I, Oklahoma State senior Alex Dieringer, a two-time national champion on a 77-match win streak.Frank Romano was a two-time state wrestling champion for Maple Heights High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University where he qualified for the NCAA Championships three times. For the last three decades Romano has coached in Ohio, including a seven-year stint at Kent State. In 2006, he was asked to lead a new program at Notre Dame College, less than a half-hour drive from his high school alma mater. By 2010, NDC was at a championship level, winning the NAIA trophy. By 2014, after transitioning to Division II, the Falcons were national champions.
Two motivated individuals from opposite ends of the country with two very different backgrounds. How did these two paths cross?
Anthony Ralph, named co-head coach with Frank Romano before the 2015-16 campaign, made the trip to Los Angeles to meet a highly-touted high school senior. NDC recruits nationwide ― 18 states are represented on the Falcon roster – and Davis had participated in a few high-level prep tournaments. Ralph had to convince an 18-year-old that Notre Dame College was the right place to be.
“Not really a pleasant place to grow up,” said Ralph of his visit to Compton, part of Los Angeles. “All the stereotypical things you hear … it can be difficult. Joey has told us some stories. But the thing that sticks out is how Joey’s dad (Joey) raised him. From the beginning it was about what we could do for him on an academic level. It was the academics from the beginning, about finding a place where Joey could succeed. The smaller class sizes and all the things a smaller campus can provide. The phone was ringing off the hook while I was there because (Notre Dame College) was not the only program after him. With his talent, that was obvious.”
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