Bridgewater, Va. – Bridgewater College alum and hall of fame member Barry Davis gave a lecture on what it takes to be an elite, both within and outside of the field of athletics on Nov. 11  in Cole Hall. 

The presentation opened with Davis addressing the audience from in front of the stage.

“You are not yet what you will become,” said Davis. 

Davis’s presentation encapsulated ideas such as work ethic, priorities and the importance of networking to achieve success. 

“You have untapped talent, untapped resources, undetected skills that you have dormant within all of you,” said Davis. 

He went on to discuss experiences from his own life that led him to the path of being elite, including sacrificing sleep in order to study, moving to numerous different states in order to get a job and leaving his friends behind in order to achieve his dreams. He also discussed that the road to being elite is a lonely process.

“If I had waited around with my friends from high school, I would not be doing this,” said Davis. 

Davis also discussed some inspirational figures that he modeled himself after, including business magnate Warren Buffett, former President of the United States Barack Obama and talk show host and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey. 

Though the presentation was athletically centered, the audience was not exclusively student athletes. 

“I think a lot of what he said was really inspiring,” said senior Katy Mattox. “I don’t feel like success has to be lonely though. I think that a lot of people get to the top with the help and support of their friends and family. I wish he had talked about that a little more.” 

Davis currently serves as the head baseball coach at Rider University in New Jersey.