If you were to ask Davin James, how’s the weather up there, El Dorado’s 6-foot-2 middle blocker would probably smile and say, it’s a sunny day.
The perpetually happy senior is rarely in a bad mood with her go-with-the-flow attitude.
For instance, her actual height has been given as 6-2 at times and 6-1 on other occasions. Exactly, how tall is James?
“I am 6-1 … I think,” she answered. “But, it’s O.K. if you put 6-2.”
Would you like to be 6-2?
“Oh … sure.”
“She definitely has the lighthearted spirit. She is able to, even if there’s competitive tension happening, she can kind of cut that energy and bring us all back especially in a tight match,” said Coach Amber Reynolds. “Her personality is very lighthearted so it’s hard to stay in that stressful state with Davin.”
Basically, if you can’t get along with Davin James, it’s probably your fault. Her personality serves as a bonding agent on the Lady Wildcats’ volleyball team.
“I feel like as a team, I keep everyone’s energy up,” James said. “Keep smiling and it kind of brings joy to everyone.”
Of course, smiling isn’t her only skill. James is one of the anchors on El Dorado’s defense, providing a dominating presence at the net. She leads the team in blocks despite opposing offenses electing to go around her rather than attacking.
“I like blocking because it’s easy for me. I have long arms,” said James. “I have a bunch of bruises on my wrists, right now, from blocking from the Lakeside game. But, I love hitting, too. Whenever I get set up by Mallory, it’s fun.”
Offensively, James is one of the team’s top hitters. She doesn’t get as many spike attempts as some of her teammates. Because of her long limbs, she needs a bit of a runway to get her feet set.
“I need all the room I can have,” she said with a giggle.
When she has room and a solid set, James can be a killing machine with her right-handed hammer.
Originally from South Carolina, James moved to El Dorado as a freshman from Nebraska City, Nebraska, where she started playing volleyball in the seventh grade.
“She definitely has sound fundamentals,” said Reynolds. “Her timing is really good whenever sets are coming to her. Her height, she definitely uses to her advantage. She moves well laterally across the net to get to the blocks on the outside.
“I think it definitely can be intimidating with her as tall as she is. Not all of the schools can match her height-wise. It does give us an advantage of having the space taken up on the net. And, she is smart whenever she does get the ball. She uses strategy. She can come with power but she also looks and sees where people are not before she hits.”
James is also a high jumper on the Lady Wildcats’ state championship track team. She cleared 5-4 to finish third in the 5A state meet and was third in the Meet of Champions.
She admitted competing in the high jump is probably her favorite sport followed by volleyball. With her sunny disposition, a sport like basketball wasn’t really an option.
“I’m not an aggressive person,” she said. “We have a net between the other team. It’s really good for me because I can’t be mean.”
Of course, her height, 6-1 or 6-2, is a big reason for her volleyball success.
“I have a big advantage with my height and being good at something makes me like it.”
On the court, James can be a happy destroyer. When she subs out, she’s the one at the end of the bench, sitting in one chair with her long legs draped over two additional chairs.
Does she like her height?
“I love it. It’s unique. I can’t change it so I’ve learned to love it. I mean, I wouldn’t want to be short.”
Oh, and what about her grade point average?
“You can put I have a five-point-oh,” she said with a laugh. “I’m kidding. I don’t even know what it is actually.”
Casual and carefree, James’ tone took a serious turn when speaking about her first victory as a Lady Wildcat. The team ended a losing streak of nearly three years this season.
“It felt good. There was a lot of negative energy with us not winning,” she said. “With this coach, I know it made her happy. It made all of us happy. She’s a good coach. But, we all worked hard for that.”