LANSFORD - Decked in a yellow dress shirt and tie, Matt Davis exuded confidence as he strode into the Panther Valley Board Room.
The 30-year-old shared his dreams of being the head football coach at Panther Valley.
He talked about the pride that former and current Panther Valley players have in the program's football tradition.
He conveyed his vision of returning the Panthers to the level of success they experienced in the 1980s and '90s.
And he shared his players' motto for the 2014 season: "Why not us?"
That confidence made it obvious Davis believes he can turn around the Panther Valley program.
"I've really talked to the kids about Jim Thorpe, Mahanoy Area, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn University," Davis said, crediting Anthony Vavra for creating his team's motto. "All of these teams really struggled, then all of a sudden turned it around.
"It can be an extremely quick turnaround. Our kids believe it can be us."
Davis was introduced as Panther Valley's new head football coach during a press conference Friday at the district's administration building.
The 2001 PV grad and former Panthers player was introduced by high school principal Joe Gunnels, and joined by superintendent Rosemary Porembo and athletic director Kristin Black. He was officially hired at the district's Jan. 23 board meeting.
"I'm extremely honored and humbled today to be the next Panther Valley head football coach," Davis said. "This has been a dream of mine ever since I walked off the field after my last game as a player in 2000.
"The tradition at Panther Valley that I will carry on with pride will be representing the black, gold and white to the highest of standards. Every player that has ever worn the
black, gold and white should be proud of where they played and where they went to school.
"Panther Valley has helped develop a lot of quality young men and women over the past 50 years, and I look forward to playing a crucial part in the development process for years to come."
Davis knows what it's like to taste success at Panther Valley. He was a member of the Panthers' 1998 Eastern Conference Class A championship squad, and was the Panthers' defensive coordinator in 2008 and 2009, when PV compiled 7-3 and 9-3 records, respectively.
Davis has also experienced what it's like when the Panthers struggle. He's been an assistant football coach for seven years with the Panthers, who went 7-23 under previous coach Lon Hazlet, including 3-7 in 2013.
Since the Anthracite 8 - now the Anthracite Football League - was created in 2002, Panther Valley has had just three winning seasons in 12 years, going 39-84 overall and 27-65 in league play.
Changing that losing culture will be his biggest challenge, Davis said.
"I believe it's a mentality, not just in our athletes, but in the kids that do not play sports," said Davis, who has also been an assistant baseball coach at PV the past eight seasons.
"Coaching baseball, attending basketball games, it seems that when things start going bad, our kids get complacent and almost accept the fact that a loss is coming.
"It is a mentality. We need to get these kids brainwashed and work them through that. They need to be able to overcome adversity on and off the field. When things aren't going well, somebody has to step up and make a play. We need to develop leaders."
Davis couldn't reveal his coaching staff since they haven't been officially hired by the school board, but he did say they were "a bunch of local PV guys that will get the program going."
As far as offensive and defensive schemes, Davis said his offense will be a blend of what the Panthers have used under the last three head coaches, with some Pistol involved.
Davis is a math teacher in Panther Valley Middle School, and is confident he can increase and maintain the Panthers' numbers.
His main goal is to re-instill the pride in the Panther Valley program.
"Our goal as a staff is to bring back a strong tradition at Panther Valley," Davis said. "Consistency needs to be present, both on and off the field. We need to improve year-round as football players and as young men. Our academics need to be second to none. Our student-athletes will be pushed harder than ever before, in the classroom and on the field.
"I want a down year to be a .500 record. I want our numbers to be consistent year to year. I want kids at the elementary school to be excited to play high school football and middle school football at Panther Valley.
"I want a buzz around town every Friday night. Week by week, day by day, we need to get the most out of our student-athletes."