California State University Northridge Athletics
Davila Family Leaves Imprint on CSUN, Athletics
9/30/2015 12:47:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Generations of CSUN Students Helped by Davila Family
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- According to the 2000 census, the most common surname in the United States was Smith, followed by Johnson and Williams. At the time, there were approximately 2.4 million people living in the US with the last name Smith.
Around CSUN, Smith has to be a common name on a campus of over 42,000 students alone. That number does not include faculty, staff or other Smiths associated with the university through businesses or other ventures. Â
However, within the CSUN Athletics department, a different surname is a lot more familiar to those who have closely followed the Matadors since their inception: Davila. Dating back nearly 50 years, the Davila family has been a part of CSUN Athletics and has helped lead the Matadors to numerous memorable achievements.
Before we dive into the depths of the family and their CSUN-centered timeline, the one thing that sticks out throughout the story is the Davilas' pride and happiness at affecting the lives of so many young people. A cursory glance at the Davilas' biographies shows that they have helped thousands of young people get to college and attain a degree.
That is what they are the most proud about when you talk to them. Not the trophies or the championships, but the fact that they have helped several generations of young people, some of whom were the first in their family to attend a university, thrive at CSUN.
The patriarch of the family is Tony Davila, whose roots run deep within the San Fernando Valley. Tony's father was the first member of the family to go to college, attending TCU and USC, and he instilled in Tony a strong desire for higher education.
CSUN, then San Fernando Valley State, became Davila's home as he sought to pursue a baseball and teaching career. He remembers being on campus the days JFK and RFK were shot and how he and his classmates dealt with the tension of the escalating Cuban Missile Crisis. He graduated in 1964 with a degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Biological Studies.
"CSUN gave me an educational foundation for the rest of my life," Davila said. "I made lifetime friends at CSUN and started my coaching career when Bob Heigert hired me to be his assistant coach on the baseball team. I hadn't intended to go into coaching, but I think of it as one of the highest forms of teaching."
One of Davila's most cherished memories comes from CSUN's Division II National Championship in the 1972 season. He still remembers hustling to the bullpen to get a relief pitcher ready as the final out was recorded.
"Bob Heigert had a vision to get the program to another level. He was fair, smart and funny. We did not say that much to each other when we played together, but when I joined his staff we made a pretty good team and I truly enjoyed working with him."Â
Tony passed on that educational emphasis to his four sons: Tom, Tim, Terry and Teddy. All four earned degrees at CSUN and made their way into successful careers afterwards. Tom worked as a production accountant on multiple Hollywood feature films, including the Terminator and the Speed series. Â He now works in real estate and is in front of the camera on a real estate reality television show. Tim works in IT and Teddy followed in Tom's footsteps as a production accountant in Hollywood.
"I wanted my sons to understand that importance of education and how it would make them more well-rounded," Tony explained. "College opens your horizons to other points of view and offers student-athletes an opportunity to get involved in their sports not just in playing them, but learning about the coaching and administrative responsibilities associated with getting the team on the competition field."
Terry (1988-91) and Teddy Davila (1989-93) were both four-year letterwinners for the Matadors in men's soccer as the program made the transition to NCAA Division I. Years later, Teddy is proud of the way his brother's teams compete against some of the biggest intercollegiate athletics programs in the nation.Â
"When I am around the program, I make sure to tell the student-athletes how fortunate they are. We didn't have a strength and conditioning coach when I was playing for the Matadors," Teddy Davila said. " "Our facilities and the campus continue to evolve positively and through that, our teams compete and succeed at this level."Â
One son in particular, Terry, took a keen interest in Tony's coaching craft and frequently accompanied him to practice. Now the head coach of the men's soccer program at CSUN entering his 17th season, Davila has become just as much a fixture on campus as his father was.
"We have a good relationship," Tony added. "I thought I was a pretty good coach, but not on a level that Terry has achieved. He is a far better coach than I'll ever be."Â
While Terry claims that point is still up for debate, there is some evidence to the statement. Terry Davila is five-time Big West Conference Coach of the Year and has captured three Big West Championships. He has led the Matadors to six NCAA Tournaments and produced a myriad of professional talent, including 12 Major League Soccer draft picks.
"My dad offers a wealth of experience. He has been a part of the NCAA at the Division I and Division II levels and won national championships in two different sports as a coach. He knows the ins and outs of high-level coaching and high-level playing and it is great to have someone with that experience to bounce off ideas," Davila said.
Both see a successful athletics program as a great way to highlight the profile of a university.Â
Terry Davila.
"Athletics, especially at the highest level, offer a window into the university and offer a great advertisement for its culture and traditions," Tony added. "Athletics are a great tool for educators and at CSUN today, I see the lead from President Harrison on down. Her involvement shows the importance of the athletics program and how she wants this university to be excellent in all its phases and representations."
Terry and Tony have also worked extensively with women's athletics programs while at CSUN. Tony led the CSUN women's tennis program from 1981-1996 while Terry headed the women's soccer program for two seasons in addition to his duties with the men's program. Â
"I think the enactment of Title IX was a great opportunity to bring fairness and equality to athletics," Tony said. "It opened eyes and created a sense of fairness. I don't buy the idea that men's programs suffered because of Title IX. It created an appropriate balance and I want my three granddaughters to have the opportunity to pursue athletics if they so choose."Â
The Davila women also share a rich history with CSUN.Â
Terry's wife Stephanie earned her Bachelor's Degree at CSUN. Tony's current wife received both her BA and MBA at CSUN and was an All-American in tennis. Teddy's wife Amy played tennis for Tony at CSUN and is another graduate of the university.
"Besides playing soccer, the highlight of my time at CSUN was meeting my wife. She played tennis for my father and we worked a tennis summer camp together," Teddy Davila added. "Our family has a special connection with the University. Through my father and brother and all of our families, CSUN is a meaningful part of our lives. With Terry extending the tradition of the Davilas as coaches and teachers, CSUN will continue to be a part of my life as it has been since the day I was born." Â
All the Davilas, current coaches, former coaches, former student-athletes, men and women alike, are all in agreement that CSUN is on the rise.
"The trajectory of CSUN is going up. We are close to the tipping point of hitting the next echelon of performance and achievement," Tony said. "It is great to see in all the programs and with the right people in place, that is something is going to happen quickly."
