Twenty one years into his volleyball officiating career, Shawn Davis still has as much fun as he did in year one. Whether he’s beautifully singing the national anthem or facilitating a juniors volleyball match, Shawn is grateful for the opportunity to serve as a Volleyball Official. His volleyball career began in high school, thanks to the mentorship of a couple people who guided him to the sport. He really enjoyed watching the sport during the Olympics, vaguely understanding it, but later on he fell more in love with it when his life changed course.
Shawn enlisted in the military in 1992 and believes it is one of the best things he could have done to change the trajectory of his life. He served as a Logistical Specialist/S4 for 15 years, spending time in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, Ft. Lee, Virginia, Mannheim, Germany, Ft. Lewis, Washington, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma and Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. After 9/11 he was deployed, and while stationed at Kandahar Airbase in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, Shawn started a volleyball program to help keep morale up among the soldiers.
“After things became less stressful and safer, I placed an order for a volleyball net and volleyballs. We played everyday once the sun lowered or when it was safe to be outside from the blistering heat. It was there when I fell in love with the sport,” said Davis.
Prior to officiating volleyball, Shawn was a softball umpire. Once he began his journey as a Volleyball Official, Shawn had one mentor that started him off on the right foot. Bill Fee guided him through all of his ups and downs and educated him on the rules and their interpretations. After officiating many high school matches, Shawn finally jumped into the club volleyball scenes, and it was there where he would find his new mentors: Steve Kenyon, Dan Apol and Paul Albright.
“Now let me be extremely clear when I say that having these mentors in my world was not an easy walk for me. At the time, I had no clue what contributions they had made to our sport. Dan Apol, was an International Beach official based out of Colorado. Paul Albright, was an International Indoor official and the Head of USAV Officials cadre. Steve Kenyon, who was my Ref Chair in the Southern Region, and a very decorated Official in the beach volleyball realm, was a Head Official for many qualifiers and is now the Southern Region Commissioner,” added Davis.
After three to four years of their guidance, Shawn received his Regional Patch. He refers to the next chapter as “Camp Prater brought to you by Michelle and Mark Prater, the model citizens of Officiating.” Michelle is an International Official from the Southern Region and Mark is a well renown Official throughout the USA.
“I spent five to seven years at their camp learning the craft of a good Official. That process was the most beneficial point in my volleyball career due to how meticulous and OCD they were in regards to the art of officiating. Being around them, watching how they manage Officials and how they answer the questions that no one thinks about was paramount for me,” shared Davis.
Today, Shawn can be seen officiating men’s and women’s collegiate matches in addition to Head Officiating junior events, including the junior national championships for the boys and the girls. He enjoys watching the young athletes grow up and become superstars, watching their careers flourish into college and professional careers. He has officiated long enough to seeing them get married, have kids of their own, then become parents of volleyball players.
“My experience with JVA events has been amazing. I was given so many opportunities to shine brightly while working these events that they became my catalyst to move up within the ranks of volleyball. I had the chance to work with a few awesome Officials with the help of Joseph O’Neal, Donnie Goodwin and Michael Mirassa,” said Davis.
Shawn is grateful to his journey as an Official, as it lead him to meet his wife during a tournament. When Shawn is not officiating, he focuses on his career as a singer, songwriter, and producer in Nashville where he owns a studio. He works with A-list artists, as well as new artists in the genres of Country, Gospel, Christian, R&B and Soul.
Shawn has been part of the movement to recruit new junior volleyball Officials, as there is a shortage in the game. He feels there needs to be more regulation for parents who violate the code of conduct for junior tournaments. Over the past few years, over one hundred officials quit officiating who had a hard time managing a match that was overrun by parents. He urges parents, coaches and athletes to be more understanding to the fact that Officials are prone to make mistakes, and they human like everyone else. It’s important that everyone is educated on the rules, as well as modifications of the rules to promote a more positive competitive environment for the athletes, spectators, and Officials. After all, those who make Officiating their journey, all started with a love and passion for the game.
JVA recognizes and rewards Officials through the JVA Officials’ Reward Program, open to all certified Officials, from beginner to most experienced. The JVA values your service to junior volleyball. We encourage those who are passionate about the game and want to find a career in junior volleyball to consider becoming a Certified Official. Contact JVA Head Official Joseph O’Neal today.
