Khalid Mitchell: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself Kaleb?
Kaleb Davis: I’m a senior in the class of 2022 and I play football. I’m from Dallas, Texas.
Khalid Mitchell: I elected you for a couple of reasons. One being you’re a senior, but also your role on the team and your evolution over the years. Mainly I heard you switched positions. Can you touch on that please?
Kaleb Davis: Yeah. So I have been selected by the defensive coaching staff to switch positions. Usually, I would be the middle line-backer (he’s known as the quarterback/leader of the defense who calls out the plays and is responsible for everything in the middle of the field) to outside corner (who’s responsible for that side of the field, guarding the best receiver on the other team and being the most vital to doing his job independently).
Khalid Mitchell: Being from Dallas and looking to study communications and expand your filmmaking as well as being a student-athlete, I can imagine you had many options and offers for your talents from many institutions. Why the choice of St. Lawrence?
Kaleb: The connections this school had served my interests—whether it be playing D3 football as a defensive player, the new environment (originally being from Texas), to the people I’ve met and connected with along the way.
Khalid: What is it like having Sid as not only a fellow member of Men in Color, but also your football teammate and your roommate. What effect have these factors had on holding each other accountable?
Kaleb: Sid Spencer is my roommate, teammate and brother from another mother. We’ve been friends since freshman year and even went to each other’s home towns. This bond lets us be as authentic and raw as possible to keep each other accountable on and off the field.
Khalid: Can you highlight some of the biggest things that have evolved being a football student-athlete now vs. freshman year in 2018-19?
Kaleb: My freshman year was filled with special team plays, active training camps, and unfortunately an off-the-field mistake costing me playing time and trust. Now I have earned back that trust with my team and coaches, being a vocal leader and someone who guides the younger teammates as well. So, all in all I feel real content with my collegiate football experience.
Khalid: As we know, COVID had a big effect on not only national sports and their cancellations but collegiate sports as well. So now it has been one-and-a-half years out since we got sent home in March of 2020. Can you define the effect this crisis has had on the team?
Kaleb: Yeah. I feel like we cherish practices, games, team building and wins/losses to the highest level since nothing is promised—showing a new, deeper reflection, love, and appreciation for this game. Plus, I personally believe we’ve now had our best training camp ever.
Khalid: Now that this is the last ride… three-and-a-half years of football played; every tackle, every catch, every block. what would you define as your best moment as a Laurentian football athlete?
Kaleb: I’m gonna be honest bro. It’s not even an individual highlight play that I think is the best moment playing on this team. Remember the fluidity of the sport makes it so that even if you have a great play, it doesn’t matter if your next play is a bad one giving up yards, and vice versa. It’s a game of inches, but all in all, our home games. Playing in front of your school makes it special because of the alignment I have with the field, the weather, and the bell ringing.
Khalid: Lastly, what is one thing that you brought to the team that was very unique that will either leave with you or live on once you graduate next semester?
Kaleb: It’s funny you ask that because I was talking to Sid about this on Wednesday. Every game day, coach gives a speech and I’ll scream out, “it’s a great day to have a great day!” It’s a ritual I picked up my sophomore year that I just keep on doing because I want it to be known on the field that you can have a great day with plays and the saying can ultimately affect the way the rest of your day can go. I have no problem with this ritual living on because one of the sophomores on the team last game asked me if he could yell for that day and I told him, heck yeah. It just makes me feel good that I brought something special for the team that they can pick up on.