A prayer in a time of crisis reflects a coach’s emphasis on family and faith

By John Shaughnessy

Years may pass, but some moments are always fresh in parents’ memories, especially those moments when parents desperately turned to God in a time of crisis involving their children.

Cary Davis is sharing one of those moments now, recalling a time 22 years ago when his wife Lisa was rushed to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. At the time, she was just 28 weeks into the pregnancy of their identical twin sons.

“We thought we were going to lose the boys,” Davis recalls, the emotion still raw. “The next day, they were going to take the babies out. I prayed to God that night, asking God to let the babies come out healthy.”

He takes a deep breath before adding, “And they survived. Jack was 1 pound, 9 ounces, and Cal was 2 pounds, 9 ounces. And now they’re both college athletes when they weren’t even supposed to be breathing.”

Beyond sharing the blessing of how a crisis turned into two gifts, the story reveals the three main elements of Davis’s life: family, faith and sports.

It’s a combination that recently led the Indianapolis Fire Department firefighter to be awarded the highest honor that the archdiocese’s Catholic Youth Organization gives to an outstanding volunteer, the St. John Bosco Medal.

During 30 years at St. Jude Parish in Indianapolis, Davis has coached football and volleyball, served as assistant athletic director and been a member of its athletic board. He has done it all while working to create a foundation of family and faith for teams—efforts he said wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Lisa.

“When I coached football, sometimes we had a problem with getting attendance at Mass,” he says. “I created a culture—kind of like a Notre Dame thing—where we would go to Mass as a team, wearing our jerseys. After Mass, we ate a light lunch, and then we played our game. It did take up a little more of the day, but it was good because they’re really supposed to be going to Mass anyway. And the priest always loved seeing the kids there. He’d give us a special prayer.”

He continues to foster that approach today.

“I’m always the guy at St. Jude who is trying to initiate the all-sports Masses,” says Davis, who still coaches boys’ volleyball at St. Jude. “I’m trying to bring people back to the Church. I understand we’re not just there for sports. We’re there for our faith, too. We’ll have a fall sports Mass that we encourage all the coaches and players to wear their jerseys to. And the elderly in the parish love to see the kids.”

That focus on faith is rooted in his own family with Lisa and their four children, including Evan and Rachel.

“We go to church as a family, and we enjoy that time,” he says. “I feel it makes us all better.”

Davis has the same impact of making St. Jude Parish better, said a fellow coach who nominated him for the St. John Bosco Medal, noting that Davis is also involved in the parish’s men’s club and helps with the parish festival.

“He is selfless with his time, steadfast in his faith, and a positive influence on everyone around him,” the coach noted. “He embodies the spirit of service, leadership and commitment that the

St. John Bosco award represents.”

Davis is honored by the award—and grateful for all the years he’s been able to connect family, faith and sports together.

“CYO has offered me a lot. Actually, our whole faith has. It runs deep. It really does. I’m hoping to grow young men in the faith.” †

 

Related story: CYO recognition highlights volunteer efforts of adults and youths