Tricia Davis – Strength specialist for the Orlando Aces
What is a brief overview of your origin story. Where you grew up, early family situation, athletic background, school, early jobs, travel, etc?
I was born in Jamaica and moved to New York when I was 4. Back then, it was just my mom, my younger sister and I. In 2006, my mom got married and we moved to Florida when I was 9 and I have been here ever since.
I officially got introduced to the world of sports when I moved to Florida in 2006. I have been involved ever since. In middle school, I ran cross country and track. Fun fact, I still hold the 100m dash record for 8th grade girls at my middle school since I broke it in 2010. Also, I am one of the few people who joined the 100 mile club and completed it for all 3 years. In high school, I branched out and got involved with more sports. I did weightlifting, flag football, and basketball along with cross country and track. When I got to college, I played women’s rugby for UCF. I officially joined CrossFit in 2017 and I haven’t looked back. I graduated from the University of Central Florida with my Bachelors in Health Sciences and I am working towards becoming a doctor. Before I started college, I worked as a recreational counselor during the summer for my city. During the summers, I was a camp counselor. When I started working year round, I helped to create, set up, and run different events for the families in my city. My favorite event to do was the Father Daughter dance. I loved this job because it allowed me to give families the chance to participate in fun and affordable events.
What is your current occupation, family situation, and focus in life.:
I currently work in the Emergency Department for Advent Health. I am the Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) which means that I handle a lot of the communication that goes on in the department.
I live with my mom, dad, younger sister, and my 2 brothers. I have other siblings around town, scattered across the country, and in Jamaica. My family is pretty big and I am grateful for them all.
Career wise, my focus is to go to medical school. When it comes to being an athlete, I’m really going to focus on building a stronger foundation for my gymnastics and cardio. Overall, I’m just trying to be better than who I was yesterday. As I work towards these goals, I hope that I can continue to inspire others to strive to be the best versions of themselves.
What is something interesting that people would like to know about you?:
In 2020, my friend and I decided to plan a hiking trip and randomly sign up for a popular bike race in Georgia that happens once a year. We got our road bikes maybe a month before the race and tested them out twice. I am proud to say that we successfully completed the 58 miles course on the mountains in Georgia.
Describe the biggest hurdle or challenge you have overcome in your life.:
Sometimes I struggle with imposter syndrome. It’s basically when you doubt yourself and your abilities. You feel like all your achievements happened out of luck. It’s been happening a little bit more frequently, and it affects me both in the gym and outside of it. When I joined the Orlando Aces, the first 2 matches we had, I felt it a lot. I literally started questioning how I even made it on the team to begin with. I’ve been overcoming these feelings that sneak up on me by surrounding myself with a great support system. I’m also working on being more confident in myself and who I am as an individual. In this life you really need to focus on not comparing yourself to others. Be proud of who you are and how far you’ve come. Everyone is on their own journey and you have to trust and believe that you are exactly where you need to be.
How do you prepare to play on the GRID and other forms of competition. How do you think about nutrition, training, and other factors that contribute to your readiness.:
During the off season, I continue to do CrossFit. As it gets closer to the Grid season, I start focusing on doing more things that will benefit me for the grid. I think nutrition plays a big role when it comes to how I feel. If I’m not eating well, then I can’t perform well in training. When my training doesn’t go well, then it will affect how I perform overall in competitions. It’s like domino effect and it starts with nutrition and how you feel.
Describe what is it like to play on your team?:
Playing for the Orlando Aces is like gaining another family that you didn’t know you needed, but you’re so grateful that you got them. Since day one, everyone has been so encouraging and kind. Funny story, I was sitting in my car outside of the gym trying to build up the courage to walk into my first practice with them when Kay Williams walked up to my car to come get me. I had never met her before, but she remembered her first practice and wanted to reassure me that I had nothing to be nervous about. I left practice feeling overwhelmed with so many happy emotions. I was just beyond grateful to be on the team. Everyone is there to push, encourage, and challenge you to be the best version of yourself.
How did you get involved in GRID? Did you come through the American Grid Trials? Tell us the story!:
In 2021, I made a New Year’s resolution of doing 1 new thing every month and that led me to participating in the American Grid Trials. I saw an advertisement for it on Instagram so I said “why not?” Since I am competitive and love to challenge myself, my only goal was to try and get the fastest time for every test that I did. After the first test I completed, Taylar (Aces head coach) and Matt (Palm Beach Breakers head coach) messaged me on Instagram. After many messages and a hard a decision, I decided to sign with the Aces. It’s been one heck of a crazy ride and I would not have had it any other way.
What is important for people to know about the sport of GRID? How does it compare to your other forms of competition?
The sport of GRID is definitely unique. It’s a sport dedicated to breaking down gender barriers by allowing men and women to compete alongside each other. Women can hang with the men and even beat them too! You also don’t have to be a well rounded athlete to play for grid. It is a team sport and everyone has their own role. Your unique skills are important and you are valuable. If you’re really strong, you can be a strength specialist like me. You can also be a gymnastics specialist if gymnastics is your strength. There are different specialist options so pick one and do the American Grid Trials!
