Gumptown Spotlight: Anthony “Amp” Davis – The Coach, The Mentor, The Advocate

By Mikala McCurry

Coach Anthony “Amp” Davis, a rising star in the coaching world and a native of Montgomery, is building the next generation of leaders through his mentorship, coaching, and community advocacy.

Davis’ knack for coaching evolved from his lifelong love of sports. He played football and basketball at Carver High School and attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham on a full football scholarship. After playing football at UAB for two years, he transferred to Benedict College in South Carolina to finish out his college football career.

He played arena football in New Orleans for a few years then began his coaching career at the place where his love for sports started – Carver High School.

“I was coaching the defensive backs and had a lot of guys on that team that went pro. There were a lot of top players that we had success with. I just figured out, for me, I was giving back since I had learned so much from the game,” Davis said. “The game of football taught me so much about life, and when I got out of playing sports, I tried to use those same skills and implement them in my daily life.”

Davis also started his own training business and training camp called “Amped Up Youth” with more than 250 attendees. One of his trainees was the son of Coach Joe Whitt Jr., the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. Davis’ longtime friend and former NFL player Torrey Smith introduced him to Coach Whitt, and they built a strong relationship that opened doors for Davis. Coach Whitt and Ryan Clark, former NFL safety and Super Bowl Champion, both became mentors for Davis and were among the many NFL and college players who worked his training camp.

Davis transitioned from coaching at Carver High School to being the assistant head coach and a teacher at Pike Road, where he was able to coach the team to a championship. Several of the students he coached went on to play football at the college level.

“I really started seeing the vision and living in my purpose. A lot of families moved out to Pike Road just because they wanted their kid to play for me. They knew who I was and how I coached, and they wanted me to coach their kids,” Davis said. “We had an undefeated season for the first time in the school’s history. It had been more than 20 years since a team in the city won a state championship.”

Davis was then offered an opportunity to work at Alabama State University as an offensive analyst and the assistant wide receiver coach. While at ASU, he was selected for the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Washington Commanders. While there he had the opportunity to work with former 49ers Coach Bill Walsh, Coach Dan Quinn, and Coach Whitt Jr.

“That was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had because I always had dreams of playing in the NFL. If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans. I always knew I was supposed to be in the NFL, but I never knew it was going to be me coaching until I got out of the driver’s seat in my life and let God drive,” Davis said.

Davis made it his mission to be a positive influence and help other athletes find their identity outside of sports. Many former athletes like Davis struggle with finding themselves once their sports journey ends.

Davis also found purpose in serving his community. He started his work as a community advocate through Family Guidance working with teens and young adults who dropped out of school. He also delivered food to underserved areas and unhoused individuals.

“My heart is so big for giving back because I know what that experience is like. When I was younger, I had to live in a motel for a couple of months when my old neighborhood got torn down. Through all of that, I was still an athlete, and that experience made me who I am,” Davis said.

Davis’ next coaching adventure will be at Auburn High School.

“I just want to know that I’m living in my purpose and when I leave this earth, I know I made a difference. My motto as a coach is if you teach a kid how to be a man, you don’t have to worry about the football player,” Davis said.