Welcome to S.H.E.D. Avenue
I am Steve Davis Jr., servant leader, design thinker, author, and founder of Strive Higher After Sports. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, I have taken my "Show Me" mentality wherever I have gone with a bias toward action. Each lived experience has helped me to grow and move closer to my purpose of helping others.
I played many sports growing up, but football became my ticket. I attended the University of Minnesota where played football and received a B.A. in Mass Communications in 2008. I had a prosperous career as a four-year starter and a senior captain at the University of Minnesota, but my dreams of making it to the NFL did not happen which became the biggest transition of my life.
I went through many ups and downs but kept moving forward. Over my professional journey, I have developed a wide array of skills in creative marketing, communications, event planning, alumni engagement, and leadership. I have done everything from coaching, to strategic planning, to creative design, to digital communication, to project management, to overseeing engagement for alumni all with a design thinking approach.
My experience as an athlete and in life has driven me to persevere through challenges and create bridges to help enhance people's lives while connecting them to resources. So, in 2023 I became a Certified Life Coach with a mission and passion to help athletes succeed and have fulfilling lives after their sport ends. I believe wholeheartedly that everyone has everything they need to have joy and success in their lives, and I want to be a partner to help others feel empowered to build the life they want.
My mantra for life is S.H.E.D. (Striving Higher Every Day). Coincidentally, S.H.E.D. is also part of my initials. I live out this mantra by continuing to be a lifelong learner and inspiring others to do the same. It is all about having a growth mindset to move onward and upward.
MY Coaching Approach
I take a design-thinking approach to coaching and athlete transition helping you define your current reality and use an iterative process to prototype future possibilities. I am a Designing Your Life Certified Coach and I embrace the 4 main principles: (1) being curious, (2) talking to people and asking for help, (3) trying stuff, and (4) telling your story. Through this process, you will learn to fail fast, create experiences, challenge and reveal your assumptions, and learn how to move forward with things that bring you joy. Specific to Athlete Transition, this approach will help you accept where you are, develop your discovery muscles, and set you on your new journey. This approach will not drive you toward a destination, but it will create a lifestyle of growth and discovery. My coaching style is reflective and my only goal is to help you feel empowered to build your own success!
About Strive Higher After Sports
Strive Higher After Sports is an athlete transition support organization founded in 2023 with a focus on coaching, workshops, and life design. At Strive Higher After Sports, we understand the unique challenges that athletes face when transitioning from sports to the next phase of life. To combat it, we use a design thinking approach to help you design a fulfilling life after sports.
Whether you're a retired professional athlete or a student-athlete preparing for graduation, we offer personalized life coaching and life design workshops to help you Strive Higher. Our goal is to empower you to make the most of your talents, passions, and experiences, and create a meaningful and fulfilling life beyond athletics. We provide a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your aspirations without fear of failure, identify your strengths, and discover new possibilities.
