Throughout her athletic endeavours, Jasmine Davis has always strived to be her own person.
That is not the simplest of tasks when you carry that particular last name in the Greater Victoria area.
The younger sister to Terrell and Marcus Davis 鈥� football stars who helped Mount Douglas to three Subway Bowl triple-A championships and then a Vanier Cup crown at UBC last year 鈥� is setting out on her own post-secondary career this summer.
The 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Lambrick Park鈥檚 Collegiate Prep Academy will play softball in late August for the University of Jamestown Jimmies in North Dakota, 160 kilometres from the state capital, Bismarck.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited. It should be a really good experience,鈥� said the outgoing centre-fielder, who carries the Davis characteristics of speed and determination that all three kids picked up from their dad, Alton, a former Victoria Shamrocks star and Mann Cup winner, and his wife, Kerri.
Jasmine, who began playing softball at age six in Central Saanich and for the past two years has represented the Victoria Devils, admits she looks forward to getting out of those shadows and further establishing her own identity.
鈥淏eing here, everywhere I go it鈥檚 about my brothers, always. It鈥檚 usually, 鈥極h, you鈥檙e so-and-so鈥檚 sister.鈥� I鈥檓 like: 鈥榊eah,鈥� but sometimes I want to say no, just so I don鈥檛 have to talk to them,鈥� she said with a laugh.
鈥淣o, really, I鈥檓 proud of them, both, and they鈥檙e doing really well, but I鈥檓 happy that I can now go and do my own thing.
鈥淒on鈥檛 get me wrong, they鈥檝e encouraged me and just watching them work out and do what they have to do to get better, makes me want to apply myself as well.鈥�
Jasmine has had little trouble doing that, be it in softball, soccer or even track and field.
After four years of learning in the Lambrick Park program, she is more than ready to move on to the next level.
鈥淓verything that Jasmine has accomplished has come from her own hard work,鈥� said academy instructor Mike Chewpoy, who is quick to highlight her abilities.
鈥淪peed, agility and strength are the stronger parts of her game, again, some of it inherited, but she continues to maintain and improve on her abilities.
鈥淗er workouts 鈥� I challenge some people to follow her around in the weight room and when it comes to some of her agility and speed tests, I don鈥檛 think they can keep up, to be honest,鈥� Chewpoy said.
鈥淎nd she鈥檚 going to a very good school. We鈥檝e had a couple of alumni go through Jamestown and we鈥檙e happy she鈥檚 going there and keeping that tradition going. You have to be a special type of athlete to go to a program like that.鈥�
Jasmine gave full credit to the likes of Chewpoy and particularly academy director Rocky Vitale, for helping her reach the next level. 鈥淎ll the coaches in the academy have helped me a lot, especially Rocky and Chewp. They鈥檝e made a huge impact,鈥� Jasmine said, adding all her minor-softball coaches into the mix.
And her parents have been there all the way.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e really excited for me,鈥� Jasmine said. 鈥淥bviously they鈥檒l be upset because I am the last one to go, but they鈥檙e super excited and supportive.鈥�
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GRID IRON NOTES: Terrell Davis (who successfully moved to defence to play linebacker) and kicker Quinn van Gylswyk had a pro day on Wednesday with NFL and CFL scouts on hand to watch and evaluate them through workouts at UBC. The two, along with RB Marcus Davis, were instrumental in the T-Birds鈥� Vanier Cup championship season in 2015.
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