Brian Davis juggles roles as city employee, SEC official
Super Bowl champion Terry Bradshaw once said, “When you’ve got something to prove, there’s nothing greater than a challenge.”
Brian Davis, a Vestavia Hills employee, is faced with the challenge of balancing two demanding jobs.
Davis, who likes to keep busy, has worked for the city of Vestavia Hills for 14 years. In 2012, he moved from his position of parks and recreation director to become the public services director.
According to Davis, the major responsibilities of the Public Services Department are streets and sanitation. As director, he oversees the departments that make up public services, such as parks and recreation, engineering and public works. Over the years, while focusing on his regular job in Vestavia Hills, he has also worked hard at being a football official.
Davis loved sports from a young age, prompting him to pursue a career as an official.
“It involved me having a love for athletics when I was growing up and wanting to be involved with it,” he said.
Davis will join an elite club of officials this fall, working as an independent contractor for the Southeastern Conference.
Davis’ journey to the SEC began in his college years, where he started officiating flag football.
He climbed his way up, working youth and middle school games right after college.
“I then moved up to high school games,” Davis said. “I attended some camps with the Gulf South Conference in 2002 and 2004 and was hired by the Gulf South Conference in 2004.”
After five years in the GSC, Davis moved to the Ohio Valley Conference, and in 2014 he worked in the American Athletic Conference.
SEC Coordinator of Football Officials Steve Shaw has been working with Davis over the past few years.
Shaw said that the combination of Davis’ officiating skills and high character allowed him to receive his position in the SEC.
“He’s going to work this year as a center judge, which is a new position. He officiates the game very well and he’s a man of high character. He’s a strong Christian and is an upstanding person in his community,” Shaw said.
As the new center judge, Davis will set up opposite the referee in the offensive backfield and will assist with spotting the ball and substitutions. Davis said that his primary responsibility is to get the ball ready for play.
Because Davis attended the University of Alabama, he is not allowed to officiate any Alabama games. Similarly, if an official has a child who attends an SEC school, he cannot officiate that school’s games. Davis is allowed to officiate any SEC school’s games besides Alabama’s.
Whether they are center judges or referees, SEC officials do a lot more than just show up to games on Saturday.
Davis said that it all starts with physical training. Getting in shape is an important part of the summer routine for him and the other refs. SEC officials prepare for the fall season by participating in a timed run in July. Just like a team tryout, those who don’t make it in the designated running time will be cut.
“We have to be physically fit,” Davis explained. “The SEC wants to make sure you’re in good shape to stay out on the field for the entire game. Game day is a long day.”
In games, most college players play on offense or defense. Referees are a one-platoon operation. Unlike players, they cannot take water breaks and sit on the benches during timeouts. Officials are also moving as the play shifts downfield. They always have to be alert and on their feet, ready to make a call.
Davis also performs mental training, such as tests, to prepare for upcoming SEC games.
“We have done rules tests for 15 weeks now, and that is just the offseason,” Davis said. “Once the season begins, we all have certain jobs during the week, such as finding a restaurant for meals and scheduling, like renting a car. This has to do with weekly travel.”
Davis said that the center judge is a contracted position, where the officials are placed on crews of eight men on the field. There are replay men who serve as communicators. Each one is assigned games and then they work those games.
While it is not a full-time position, fulfilling his role as center judge requires a major time commitment behind the scenes. According to Davis, referees typically need to be in the city where the game is being played by dinnertime on Friday.
Davis has learned throughout the years that the officiating crew is a team working together for the same purpose. That teamwork applies to being a referee and in the full-time job he has with the Vestavia Hills public services department.
“Being a part of that team that works together translates into being a team player in your day-to-day job,” he said. “Time management is another huge part of it. The leadership aspect of stepping up and knowing your role in the organization and how to get the most out of your teammates.”
From traveling weekly to taking rules tests to getting in shape, being a part of the officiating crew is a unique opportunity for Davis that involves much more than an appearance on the sidelines.
Davis said that the officiating is a side job that takes lots of time and travel, as well as lots of studying.
“People think that we just show up to officiate games. It’s more than that. We’re studying video every week. We’re preparing for the season by looking at rule studies. It’s also really hot out there in the South.”
As Davis works hard to balance his jobs, he remembers that there is opportunity in every difficulty. He is ready for the challenge.