One of the smallest players on the Anzar High girls soccer team often makes a big impact.
At barely 5-feet tall, sophomore defender Ronnee Davis plays much bigger than her size. Competing against girls much bigger than her, Davis consistently wins 50-50 balls through sheer attitude, determination and hustle.
In the Hawks’ 2-1 loss to Pacific Collegiate School of on Jan. 30, Davis was making her presence felt, battling for balls and shoving opposing players out of the way in the process.
It’s no wonder teammates from her club team, the Hollister Tremors, nicknamed her the Tasmanian Devil—she backs down from no one.
“I’ve always had a lot of energy and feistiness,” Davis said. “Soccer is a contact sport, and it’s meant to be played with a lot of contact. I don’t start things, but I believe in finishing them.”
Anzar coach Tony Rosa loves everything about Davis, particularly her penchant for playing smart and never quitting. Sometimes Rosa has to tell Davis to slow down and pace herself so she has something left in the tank in the second half.
Against PCS, Davis’ energy level waned a bit in the final 40 minutes of action, as she spent the entire first half running around the field, never once taking an extended walking break.
“Ronnee has a lot of attitude, she hustles and she has a lot of speed,” Rosa said. “She’s really been an impact player for our team.”
Davis is one of the major reasons why the Hawks have experienced a tremendous turnaround from last season. They entered the week at 4-4-1 overall and 3-2-0 in the Mission Trail Coastal League.
Davis started playing soccer at age 3, and it was love at first kick.
“It’s always been my No. 1 passion and favorite sport,” she said.
At halftime of the match vs. PCS, Davis spent the entire time stretching and laying on the ground. Because of a condition with her knees, Davis has to be careful in how far she pushes the limit.
“I get water fluid in my knee caps because my outside muscles are way bigger than the inside ones,” Davis said. “My doctor told me to stop running for a year, but that wasn’t an option.”
No matter what Davis accomplishes on the soccer field, they will pale in comparison to how she’s overcome adversity off of it. Lisa and Rick Davis adopted Ronnee when she was 4, and the transition, not surprisingly, was difficult.
“At first, I really missed my (biological) mom,” Davis said. “I would call my parents Lisa and Rick instead of mom and dad. It’s always a hard thing being adopted, but in the end who knows where I’d end up? I’m thankful for my parents and really grateful they adopted me. Being put into their family is a real blessing.”
Growing up as an adopted child, Davis knows her purpose in life: To help others in a similar situation.
“I would like to volunteer at foster homes for young kids who are confused,” she said. “I was in that position, and in the end something good came out of it. I want to help people who are struggling with life. From my experiences, I know everything happens for a reason, and in the end good things come out of a tough situation.”
Davis is living proof.
