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Sarah Finnegan
Lindsay Davis celebrates a home run at the end of the Mountain Brook-Oak Mountain softball game on March 16, 2017. After the conclusion of every home game, the team takes to the field with their bat girl Lindsay for a run around the bases.
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Kyle Parmley
Kyle Parmley and Lindsay Davis.
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Photo courtesy of Kamryn Corey
Lindsay Davis with Spain Park's Kamryn Corey.
My experience is probably the same as so many others.
I remember the first time I met Lindsay Davis. In the spring of 2017, she was a freshman at Mountain Brook High School and a manager for the softball team. During a conversation with then-head coach Karly Bergeron, Lindsay confidently walked up to me and exclaimed, “I’m the manager!”
That initial chat with Lindsay didn’t last long, as I was probably off to the next game or field or whatever the case was that particular evening.
Six months or so passed before I saw her again at a Mountain Brook volleyball match (she is also a beloved member of the volleyball and basketball teams at the high school). I figured she probably didn’t remember me, but she ran up to me, gave me a big hug, and said, “Kyle, I missed you!”
I knew we’d be buddies from that moment on.
Lindsay, now a senior, has been well-known around the Mountain Brook community for quite some time, thanks to her radiant personality and ability to connect with everyone she comes into contact with.
The high school softball world has embraced her as well. After a number of games, Mountain Brook and the opponent gather in the infield to take part in the most memorable moment of the day. Lindsay has been known to grab a helmet, strut to the batter’s box and dig in. A pitch is thrown to her and she takes a hack at it. She has a knack for hitting the ball where no one can field it, and no one can catch her as she blazes around the bases. To this day, I don’t think she’s ever been called out.
If you see Lindsay during a volleyball or basketball match, chances are she’s diligently keeping stats. She keeps up with the basics, but also has a “comments” field, where she throws in encouraging notes for each player.
Kyle Parmley
One of Lindsay Davis' stat sheets during a volleyball match.
This past season wasn’t the easiest one for the Mountain Brook girls basketball program, but Lindsay’s encouragement and support never wavered. That’s why it was so fitting that she entered the Lady Spartans’ final game Feb. 5 and scored 12 points in the final minute of action.
The video of that moment was seen all over, picked up by local television stations and national outlets — including ESPN and NBC — alike.
Spain Park’s coaches and players, particularly Kamryn Corey, deserve commendation for making the moment special. Corey is a senior guard for the Lady Jags and committed a handful of “turnovers” to help Lindsay score.
I’m guessing Corey will gladly accept those stats.
Did I even mention that Lindsay has Down syndrome? She does, but that’s not the point. Her love for others and her genuine excitement in that basketball game — and in life— are what make her special.
The world could use more people like Lindsay Davis.
*Kyle Parmley is the sports editor at Village Living. This is an opinion column.
