Happy memories

When Freeman volleyball coach Kenny Davis submitted his resignation following 22 years guiding the Scotties, he did so in the form of a television commercial.

•Number of years coaching: 30, including at the collegiate level.

•Number of trips taken: over 350.

•Amount of miles logged on the Big Yellow Taxi (school bus): 52,500, estimated.

•Number of times sweeping two gymnasium floors: 900, estimated.

•Number of participating athletes: 810, estimated.

•Composite grade-point average: 3.30

•Number of practices: 880

•Number of shoulder surgeries: 4.

•The total in all this (like the MasterCard commercial says): “Priceless.”

He didn’t even mention the 10 state trips, seven trophy places and near misses from a rugged Northeast A League that included state title perennial Colfax.

Davis, who graduated from Newport, began his coaching and 32-year basketball officiating career while in college and spent five years in Cusick before arriving at Freeman, last week decided the time was right to step down.

“Like a coaching decision, you just make it,” he said. “The program’s strong, everything’s up to date and it was just a gut feeling.”

Two things made the decision tough, Davis said. Freeman’s superintendent, Sergio Hernandez, gave him nothing but compliments about the program, he said. And it was difficult to tell his team, six members who will be returning, that it was time for Freeman volleyball to move in a new direction.

“You’re dealing with the best,” he said of Freeman’s athletes. “These are kids who want to be there, are willing to take criticism and go with it.”

Davis was commuting daily 148 miles round trip from Liberty Lake when he began his teaching career in Cusick. It was there he experienced an 0-16 season, but by the year after he left, the Panthers had qualified for state.

“I was married, and we were expecting our first child,” said Davis of his move to Freeman. “It was a 38-mile round trip and $6,000 pay increase.”

His first state appearance with the Scotties was in 1986 when they were Class B. Freeman reached the state semifinals twice, finishing fourth in 1990 and ‘92. First 1A trip was in 1998 and the Scotties became a state regular, finishing sixth in 2000, second in 2002, third in 2003 and seventh in ‘04 and ‘05.

Davis calls all the trophies “dust collectors.”

“When all is said and done and players go to their 10th reunion, they will not remember where they placed,” he said, “they will remember each other more. That’s what it’s all about – memories.”

Davis will continue teaching history at Freeman. He’ll continue refereeing basketball and won’t rule out a return to coaching someday. The memories he’s had, he said, from Cusick to Freeman are priceless.

“If you ask me who my best players or teams were, I say, ‘All of them,’ ” Davis said. “Every team was the best and every player the best. Most valuable were the kids who came off the bench and filled any role I asked of them.”

He’s walking away with a smile, Davis added, saying, “For the 22 years here and five at Cusick, I’ve had a blast.”