LouisvilleCatholicSports.com

Colts alum, long-time assistant replaces Sander on sideline

DeSales High School prides itself in employing alumni of the school as head coaches within the athletic realm.

And with the announcement of 1982 graduate and long-time assistant coach Harold Davis as the new DeSales head football coach, the Colts now have alums as head coaches at the helm of 6 of its 10 KHSAA-sanctioned sports.

Collectively, the school’s coaching staffs include over 20 alumni.

Davis, who takes over for former head coach Mark Sander, has 10 years of high school coaching experience, including five years at DeSales, where his duties have included defensive play calling and coaching defensive backs and punters.

As a senior at DeSales in 1981, Davis helped lead the Colts to a Class 4A Jefferson County Championship and a berth in the school's first-ever football state final. He received District, State and All-Star recognition as a defensive back on the team.

With his presence as a coach on the 2009 Colts squad that finished the year as Class 2A State Runner-Up, Davis is the only person to be a part of both state finalist teams at DeSales.

Davis excelled as a player in college as well, earning team MVP honors at Kentucky Wesleyan University in 1986. He still holds school records for interceptions and solo tackles in a game, a season, and a career.  In 1987, Davis graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan with a degree in Business Administration.

A retired member of the Louisville Fire Department, Davis served the greater Louisville community as a civil servant for twenty-two years.  During his tenure with the LFD, Harold assumed leadership roles as Company Commander and Fire Academy Training Officer, demonstrating his capacity to teach, train and motivate.

"We couldn’t be more pleased than to have Harold on board as our new head coach," said school President Doug Strothman.  "He brings with him all the tools that are needed to be very successful in this role.

"Most importantly, he understands that excellence starts in the classroom, and he is considered by his peers to be an outstanding mentor and a role model. He has developed strong ties in the community over the years and has built solid relationships with players, parents, and alumni."

DeSales football finished 6-6 in 2011 before being eliminated by Christian Academy in overtime during the second round of the state playoffs. The Colts lose key seniors Kameron Able (LB), Jared Nauert (QB), Sam Buckley (RB), Cory LaFever (RB), Matt Nord (OL) and Adam Byrd (DB) from this past year's team.