Jay Davide - Class of 1980

Class of 1980 alumnus, Jay Davide, describes himself as an athletic student, not an academic one. He thrived as part of a team, playing football, baseball, basketball, and several club sports as a Cardinal. During the football season his senior year, Jay tore up his right knee which required surgery and forced him to lose playing time. Though he spent the time doing the work and going to rehab after surgery, he re-injured his knee during the baseball season. As he states, rehab then was not what it is today.

After going through two rounds of surgery his senior year, Jay found himself feeling quite sorry for himself but remembers coming out of it thanks to his mother who reminded him that, “Everything happens for a reason. God has a plan”. Her guidance at the time turned out to be the most profound and true thing she ever said. Her words have stayed with him throughout his life and helped him when facing tough times and needing to make decisions. As Jay says, “Moms really do know their stuff!”

While a student at Newman High School, Jay had two teachers/coaches that he considered mentors, Coach Grundy and Coach Sullivan because they both made class interesting and playing with the team fun! It was Coach Sullivan who convinced Jay to go to college. At the time he had no interest but through conversations with Coach Sullivan, Jay found himself rethinking his plans. He attributes the path his life took to Coach Sullivan’s belief in him and luckily he took Coach’s advice and started college at the University of Wisconsin-Marathon Extension.

While at the UW Extension, Jay spent a time in the Career Services office researching colleges and majors; coming across the field of Athletic Training. He found that the curriculum, which was mostly science classes, and more importantly no math classes, was of great interest to him. After sharing his interest in this career path, his counselor suggested he transfer to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, which at that time was the only school in Wisconsin offering the Athletic Training major.

Transferring to UW La Crosse turned out to be the greatest decision; first because it was the start to a 37 year career as an athletic trainer, but more importantly because he met his wife there. Five hours after moving into the same dormitory, Jay’s best friend, Peter Baumann, introduced him to his future wife, Karen. When thinking back to that time, Jay offers, “Thank God for Co-Ed Dorms!”

After graduating from college, Jay took a job as a season-long Athletic Training Intern with the Green Bay Packers. He then spent three years as the Head Athletic Trainer for Lawrence University in Appleton. His journey then took him to Illinois State University as the Head Football Athletic Trainer before being recruited to start a Sports Medicine Program at the Appleton Medical Center.

During his time at the Appleton Medical Center, Jay once again found himself working with the Packers, helping out when needed on the sidelines and in the training room. In 1992, Jay contracted with the Packers to work full-time during the football season. This opportunity was an important step as it laid the groundwork for where his journey led.

At Appleton Medical Center, Jay spent 26 years as an athletic trainer for a number of the Fox Valley area high schools, eventually moving into the clinic full-time as a clinical athletic trainer. In 2017, he accepted a position as Clinical Athletic Trainer with Bellin Sports Medicine in Green Bay. His new role, and previous work with the Green Bay Packers, helped him secure a new position with the National Football League (NFL). In late 2011, the NFL started a program in which certified athletic trainers sat in the booth at some of the stadiums. Jay became one of the first NFL ATC Spotters. The program expanded to all NFL teams in 2012. The ATC Spotter program has played an important role in helping make the game of tackle football safer. Football played such an important role in his early years and after suffering season-ending injuries himself, Jay is proud of the work being done to improve injury observation and data collection to help keep players safe.

If Jay were to speak to a Newman Catholic student right now he would offer the following advice, “Excel at whatever YOU like to do in high school. Academics, athletics, clubs, recreation, faith…don’t let anyone outwork you. The effort you put in now will stay with you into post high school life. Whether that is school, work, or becoming a parent. Do what you want to do but make sure it is something that will make you happy for the rest of your life. There is a song lyric that goes “always remember to keep riding the storm out”. That applies to everyone in life. Also, remember what Mom Davide always said---“Everything happens for a reason. God has a plan!”