New Head Coach at VVHS

By AMY DAVIS

The Progress

Virgin Valley High School recently announced the hiring of Koko Davis as its new girls’ varsity head basketball coach. Davis will replace Coach Cliff Hughes who has retired after three years.

Davis was an assistant coach to Hughes as well as coach to the JV girls’ team. He also brings over 25 years of experience to his new position; the last 12 of those years have been at VVHS.

Kai Davis will be an assistant coach for varsity. Steve Hansen and Alex Blazzard will serve as assistant coaches for JV and B team.
“The transition from Cliff to Koko will be seamless,” said VVHS Assistant Principal Stephen Waite. “Both have worked together to set a foundation for our girls’ basketball team. We are immensely grateful for Cliff and his years dedicated to our Virgin Valley girls’ basketball team. And we are immensely optimistic as Koko takes the helm.”

Within minutes of VVHS making the announcement that Davis would be the new varsity coach on social media, excited parents, students, current and former players began a flurry of comment and dialog in an effort to spread their joy.

Davis has also been involved with a youth basketball development program called Mesquite Magic. This is a free (funded by grants) club basketball team that plays teams all over southern Nevada, Southern Utah, and occasionally even further than that.

The program serves kids from 8 to 18 years old. It focuses on ball handling skills and foot work.
Davis has worked with hundreds of children and teens through this program, and it has endeared him to the community. Many of the kids he coached through this program are now playing for VVHS on both the girls and boys varsity teams.

“Koko is the man for this job,” said assistant coach Kai Davis, who also happens to be Koko’s little brother. “No one puts in more time, has a bigger heart, or gives individualized attention to his players. Koko wants to make his players proud, and they sure want to make him proud.”
In the 25 years that Davis has been coaching, this is the first time he will be a varsity coach. In a recent interview with The Progress, his joy was palpable.

“I feel like a kid on Christmas,” he said. “We just played our first tournament and the night before our first game, I couldn’t even sleep. I kept waking up every two hours. I have never been excited to wake up at 6:00 AM, but I was that day.”

In his goals for the team, Davis is taking the approach that small, consistent steps will bring about big results.
“When I bring the girls in on the first day and sit them down for a talk, I want to tell them that we are not setting a goal to win the state championships,” he said. “What we are going to set goals for is that every single time we set foot on the court, we are going to be the hardest working team out there. We are going to play hard. We are going to play fast.”

“Number two, I want the girls to have fun out there,” he added. “I want them to want to come to practice and it is up to us as coaches to generate that environment.”
“Number three, I want them to make memories,” Davis concluded. “If we can do that, then everything else will fall into place.”

Assistant Coach Hansen has been working with VVHS sports for years. He said that he is very excited for Koko to be given the the reins to the VVHS girls basketball team. “I am honored that he asked me to be on his coaching staff,” Hansen said. “I will work hard to make our program top tier.”

Davis said that he feels a sense of humility at being selected to coach the team. “I am so thankful for this opportunity!” he said. “I am beyond excited and I am ready. I feel like we have a lot of support and I think we, as a team, can do big things.”