Student-Athlete Ta’Mya Davis ‘23 Has Big Dreams
By Kristin Beck ‘05
Through hard work and determination, Presentation Academy track and field star Ta’Mya Davis ’23 has achieved her dream of competing at the collegiate level. Ta’Mya committed to Campbellsville University, aspiring to compete in both sprint and field events.
Over the course of her career, Ta’Mya has set three school records and tied a fourth. She holds Presentation’s record in the 200 meter (27.23 seconds) and long jump (16 feet 10 inches), plus first and second in the 100 meter (12.78 seconds and 13.2 seconds). She is tied for first in the high jump with a height of 5 feet.
Pres Assistant Coach Monshea Weaver isn’t surprised by Ta’Mya’s accomplishments because she put in the work. She worked out in the offseason, she stayed after, and she executed, he said. “I told her only a champion would do that, [someone who] has a goal and a vision in mind, and we pushed the limits.”
Ta’Mya began running track in fourth grade. She joined Westside Track Club during the summer before 8th grade and competed with the team for three years. She met Coach Weaver during her freshman year.
Until then, track had been something she did to fill time until basketball season started again. However, after the Covid-19 pandemic cut her freshman track season short, she started working out with Coach Weaver and his daughter, fellow Pres Girl Ce’Onna Beason ’21.
“He has been a big influence in my life and a huge role model, even like a father figure in a way,” Ta’Mya said. After losing her dad when she was in eighth grade, she bonded with Coach Weaver over track and, along the way, discovered that she had a talent for the sport. “He was always by my side,” she said.
Her love for track and field grew, and Ta’Mya began pursuing her new dream of competing in junior year. With the help of former Athletic Director and current Head of External Affairs Dr. Amy Skretny Fowler, she figured out what schools could be a good fit for her and started reaching out. After touring Campbellsville University, she found her new home. “I like that it was a Christian-based school so I could continue growing my faith and grow as a person,” she said. She already knew some of her new teammates through competing with Westside Track Club, as well as one of the coaches. “I felt a good sense of community there. It felt like a family.”
Unfortunately, it looked like her dream might not happen. During the first game of basketball season this year, she suffered an Achilles rupture in her right leg while going up for a layup. “I fell to the ground and instantly felt like it was over – I don’t have my scholarship anymore.”
Bracing herself for the worst, she told her coaches at Campbellsville about the injury. “I had to tell my coach what had happened. He was actually surprised and he respected me even more for telling him because a lot of people he had coached in the past they had lied to him about his previous injuries and waited all the way up to the point where they had to start going to practices and he had noticed they weren’t competing. He admired the fact that I told the truth so that caused us to get a better relationship and better understanding of each other.”
The injury required immediate surgery, the most painful experience of her life. Rehab proved to be just as challenging. She considered reclassifying but decided against it. Currently, she is working on improving her balance and strength and hopes to start running again soon. She is on track to return to full speed before the indoor season this winter.
Another big piece of her rehabilitation was improving her mental health. Being sidelined with a season-ending injury was depressing, and she missed about a month of school during the initial rehab. “I had a lot of support though,” Ta’Mya said. She received flowers, cards and texts from her friends, family and Pres family, and she went to see a therapist to ensure she was healthy mentally. “It takes mind over matter more than physical, so I definitely had to get through that and the fears of possibly not coming back and performing again and believing I would do the same thing and even better.”
Ta’Mya thanked her grandmother, Russhell Russell, for all of her love and support. “She’s a big reason this is even happening,” she said. Ta’Mya said she used to whine and cry about going to practice, but her grandmother saw her potential and told her to believe in herself. “I’m thankful she put her time and energy into me, sitting at those long meets out of town, seeing me win, being happy for me.”
Ta’Mya said she is very excited about the next chapter of her life. “I pray that I can continue breaking records and being a great athlete at Campbellsville.”