Welcome to S.H.E.D. Avenue
The transition is the hardest opponent you will face. I’m here to help you game plan for it.
I’m Steve Davis Jr., your Striving Higher Coach. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, I carry the "Show Me" state mentality everywhere I go. I have a bias toward action. I don't just talk about growth; I believe you have to demonstrate it.
Football was my ticket out. I attended the University of Minnesota, where I earned my degree in Mass Communications and built a career as a four-year starter and team captain. I had the stats, the drive, and the dream of the NFL. But when that door didn't open, I faced the biggest transition of my life. I didn't just lose a sport. I felt like I lost my compass.
I didn't let the transition stop me. I applied my athlete mindset to the professional world, building a diverse career in creative marketing, alumni engagement, and strategic planning. I proved that an athlete’s skills translate to any field if you have the right game plan.
But I never forgot how hard that initial pivot was.
That experience drove me to become a Master Certified Life Coach and Designing Your Life Certified Coach. My mission is to build the bridge I wish I had. I help athletes navigate the fog of transition with clarity and confidence.
Through the ups and downs, I adopted the mantra that guides Strive Higher After Sports: Striving Higher Every Day (S.H.E.D.).
For athletes, this is familiar. It’s about constant evolution. It is about seeking knowledge, refining your technique, and building your way forward. We use a design thinking approach to help you envision a life beyond sports that aligns with your passions and purpose. We don't just talk about the "glory days." We use the discipline you learned in them to fuel what comes next. Let's get to work!
MY Coaching Approach
I take a design-thinking approach to coaching and athlete transition helping you define your current reality and use an iterative process to prototype future possibilities. I am a Designing Your Life Certified Coach and I embrace the 4 main principles: (1) being curious, (2) talking to people and asking for help, (3) trying stuff, and (4) telling your story. Through this process, you will learn to fail fast, create experiences, challenge and reveal your assumptions, and learn how to move forward with things that bring you joy. Specific to Athlete Transition, this approach will help you accept where you are, develop your discovery muscles, and set you on your new journey. This approach will not drive you toward a destination, but it will create a lifestyle of growth and discovery. My coaching style is reflective and I create space for self-reflection and self-discovery to help you design fulfillment in your life.
About Strive Higher After Sports
Strive Higher After Sports is an athlete transition support organization founded in 2023 with a focus on transition coaching, workshops, and life design. At Strive Higher After Sports, we understand the unique challenges that athletes face when transitioning from sports to the next phase of life. To combat it, we use a design thinking approach to help you design a fulfilling life after sports.
Whether you're a retired professional athlete or a student-athlete preparing for graduation, we offer personalized life coaching and life design workshops to help you Strive Higher. Our goal is to empower you to make the most of your talents, passions, and experiences, and create a meaningful and fulfilling life beyond athletics. We provide a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your aspirations without fear of failure, identify your strengths, and discover new possibilities.
