Davis new coach of Lady Cards

Zana Davis’ first love was music. But she was an athlete, too.

Her new job has her combining the two.

She was recently hired as the music teacher and head girls basketball coach at Potts Camp High School, her alma mater.

“I always loved music,” Davis said. “My mom was a music teacher, and I started playing the piano at age 5.”

She grew up in Holly Springs. She went to school at Holy Family, Galena and then Potts Camp.

A lack of music programs when she was in school led to another love, basketball.

“But I kept singing and playing (the piano) at churches,” Davis said.

She played basketball for coach Tana Miller four years at Potts Camp, graduating in 2013. Miller is now the principal.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Ole Miss in 2018, Davis went to work part-time at Coahoma Community College. She then taught performing arts and directed the choir two years at Clarksdale High School. During those two years, she also attained her master’s from Ole Miss.

“I had not really planned on being a coach,” she said. She had a brother playing basketball at Blue Mountain College and another playing at Lewisburg.

“I was just enjoying their games,” Davis said. “I didn’t have my mind focused on coaching.” But then her former high school coach called and asked, “Have you ever thought about it?” Davis, 26, said her love for the game is still strong. And she likes the idea of working under Miller.

“That really influenced my decision a lot,” she said.

“I got injured a lot in high school and Coach Miller was always there to support me.” Davis tore her ACL and meniscus in her junior season, went through rehab and returned for her senior season. The Lady Cardinals made it to the state tournament and lost to Victoria Vivians and Scott Central. Vivians is now playing in the WNBA.

“The game is much different than when I played,” she said, “but I really want to give back to the school I graduated from.”

Davis is equally excited about enhancing the music program at Potts Camp as she is building the basketball program.

She got to work with her team about two and a half weeks this summer.

“I feel good about this group,” Davis said. “I am catching them when they’re young, and they have time to develop.

“It reminds me so much of when I got to Potts Camp. We were about all ninth and 10^th graders, and that’s basically what I have with this team. We have to develop chemistr y.”

Davis said she knows her first coaching job just happening to be at her alma mater will come with challenges.

“Honestly, I thought about that a lot before taking the job,” she said. “But I played for some great coaches, and I played against some great coaches. I will have my high school coach as principal, so I know I can pick her brain. I believe I am up to the challenge.”

She got some offers to play college basketball but decided against it and went to Ole Miss and majored in music. She also considered a career in accounting.

“I love math, too” Davis said. “I’m very nerdy.”

And now, unexpectedly, she’s “coming home.”

“I’ve very excited about where this career path is taking me,” Davis said. “I’m looking forward to it.”