To freshman Tex Davison, football practice seems like something out of a movie. The cracks and pops of plastic pads penetrate the muggy morning air. The grunts and yells ring out across the field as players collide with one another. Drenched in sweat, the athletes line up against each other for one final play. It’s the first day of varsity training camp, but it’s also Davison’s first taste of America.
At the age of 14, Davison has lived in various cities in Australia, Thailand and Malaysia. After originally planning to live in Houston, his family changed their plans when he was accepted into the school. Davison now has to deal with the difficulty of living in a new city as well as adjusting to a new high school.
“I really like St. Mark’s,” Davison said. “I like the sports. It’s so much better than my old school. We also have new sports to me. Football is an alien sport. Like I’ve never seen it, heard it, or played it before, so I have to learn a whole new sport and I’m enjoying it.”
Despite the violence of football, Davison was excited to put his pads on for the first time during training camp in August. He enjoys the “grit and grind” culture of the sport, and he was excited to play a game he had only seen on television.
“I wanted a new experience,” Davison said. “I saw some of Odell Beckham Jr.’s highlights and I just wanted to try a new sport and see how it goes. And I don’t regret my decision at all … I was a little worried because I’m a wide receiver, so if I catch the ball, everybody’s gonna try to hit me.”
Cultural navigation in Dallas has been an amusing experience for Davison, who says the differences between Australian and American English are big enough to cause some small misunderstandings.
“We were playing volleyball in PE and I told my teammates to just belt the ball, which just means to throw the ball, and they didn’t understand,” Davison said. “And I was talking to Coach Guiler about JV football and I said, ‘We absolutely flogged them,’ and he had no idea what I was saying.”
The heat has disrupted these football practices early in the season, forcing student-athletes to wake up far earlier than normal. This adds stress on an already challenging schedule, but Davison is ready for the arduous task.
“I’m used to waking up early,” Davison said. “Back in Australia I trained for basketball before and after school every day, so I don’t mind waking up early. My schedule is a little bit packed right now because I’ve got drawing and PE on top of my schedule.”
For any new student, living up to the school’s rigorous standards is a challenging task.
“There’s definitely a lot of work,” Davison said. “It’s the second week and I already have a lot of homework. I think the academics are really good though.”
When he is not completing schoolwork, Davison also spends time getting shots up in the gym during any free time he can find on his busy schedule.
“My goal is to be a division one basketball player,” Davison said. “I’ve only played for like a year and a half, but I work harder than my competition. I always knew the big colleges like Duke and USC, and my goal is to get into a college like that”
Even though the year is just beginning, Davison already has lofty goals for his first year at 10600 Preston Road.
“My goal is to get all As and Bs,” he said. “I think that’s a reasonable standard for me. I also want to make the JV basketball team, and I want to score one touchdown by the end of the football season.”
Davison has quickly adjusted to life in Dallas and has become an active and social member of the school’s community.
“Everyone’s been really kind and welcoming,” Davison said. “I feel like I can just talk to anyone freely. I’ve got a good group of mates.”
