Dodson Doing Her Do At Radford

Ron Bailey, Publisher

July 24, 2007 – Big East hoop fans are aware of Darnell Dodson, the talented swingman from Greenbelt, MD that has committed to play attend and play for the University of Pittsburgh this school year. Darnell, starred at Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) and with DC Assault on the AAU/travel team circuit, so it’s no wonder the name Dodson is broadly.

But Darnell is not the first, only, or most successful from a team perspective Dodson on the high school level hailing from Greenbelt. That would be his older sister, Davida.

Having won two consecutive Maryland state titles at Roosevelt, the last of which occurred her senior year in 2006, Davida did not best her brother in individual awards – Darnell was a first and third team All-Met selection during his career while she was named honorable mention as a senior – but does have him in terms of champtionships. With both of the Dodson progeny being competitors, that fact was not lost on Darnell, as he has previously stated a need to get a title, given Davida’s.

Their supportive competition predated high school, where Davida, a 5’6” guard who is a year Darnell’s elder, was once closer to her young brother’s physical stature, and as such took it to him on the court: They both have laughed and admitted she, as the saying goes, use to ‘rough him off’.

At Radford University last season, the freshman Davida found it a challenge to rough off people, and had to acclimate herself to the college game. “It was a good experience” said Dodson of her first year of Division I ball. “It started off great” with a great showing in an exhibition game and significant minutes early in the season.

That time started to diminish as the season wore on, more or less corresponding with the increased competition faced on the court. Davida specifically identified “The speed of the game” along with the level of “physicality” present as major differences between high school and college, along with the mental fatigue engendered by being a true student-athlete.

“It was a major transition from high school” continued Dodson. “At Radford, you have to balance everything all at once”, including a higher level of basketball and academic concerns”.

While being well prepared for college scholastics at Roosevelt, key to Davida’s hoops season was finding her role on the team, an extremely important necessity in her view. “Getting out there and knowing your role” is crucial according to Dodson, as it reduces better chemistry. In Dodson’s estimation, she was looked on to “provide leadership” by the Highlanders and their coach, Jeri Porter, while at times “starting out and knocking down some shots”.

What allowed her to successfully transition herself to college was, in a word, preparation. As such, she urges all high school student-athletes to equip themselves while they can. “From an academic standpoint, do your best, just do it” beseeched Dodson, in her intelligent, somewhat fiery manner. “Get it out of the way and take care of it. As far as athletics, always go hard…Step up to the game”.

Those who know Davida are not shocked by that mentality. It’s who she is. Davida Dodson is stepping up, and soon many people will connect Davida to Dodson name, just as they do Darnell.