Speaking to a bunch of winners Thursday at the Luncheon of Champions for the 2011 Babe Ruth 12U Softball World Series, Troy University head softball coach Melanie Davis said being a “champion” is important on the field as well as off the field.

“I just want to give a program to help these girls and give them something to hold on to throughout the tournament,” Davis said to the 12 teams participating in the World Series along with their families and fans.

Davis used a PowerPoint presentation to outline what it means to be a champion, using the first letter of the word “champions” as an acronym.

The letters stood for “character, heart, attitude, motivated, perseverance, initiative, optimistic, never quits and selfless.”

Davis urged the players to realize their potential and “never give up.”

“No matter what you’re facing — never, never give up,” she said.

She went on to say that the use of words can be a powerful tool.

Additionally, Davis talked about how the game of softball is a “game of failure,” saying that as softball players, you only get better by learning from your errors.

“Have you seen a major league batter batting a .300 average, making millions of dollars?” she said. “Well, he’s failed hitting the ball 7-out-of-10 times.”

Davis will enter her 19th season as the head coach for the Lady Trojans softball program.

Her accomplishments include 800 career wins, 700 wins at Troy and winning 31 games or more in 17 seasons.

Davis is a member of the West Alabama Softball Hall of Fame and a member of the National Fastpitch Association’s 600-win club, is the all-time winningest coach at Troy.

Her 706 wins is the most for any coach in Troy’s history in any sport.

Davis has guided the Lady Trojans to eight seasons of 40 wins or more, including a record 52 wins in 1995.

At the end of her address, Davis gave a few quotes from known individuals.

She ended with one that defines what it can mean to work as a team.

“‘An individual can make a difference, but a team can make a miracle,’” Davis said.