Editor’s Note: Our Black History Month series has recognized some of Norwich’s finest athletes, all of whom attended NFA. This is the final in our series.

These celebrated athletes persevered in the face of adversity and sometimes with minimal prospects of success.

Luis “Lou” DePina, NFA Class of 1975

DePina, known as Lou, participated in freshman baseball and three years of varsity baseball at NFA; although his first love was basketball. He was co-captain of the baseball team and a member of the Varsity “N” Club.

After graduation, he attended UConn, majoring in communications and continued to play baseball. He eventually became program director at the YMCA and later Norwich Recreation Director for the City of Norwich for 25 years. DePina was a gifted athlete, mentor and a friend to all. DePina was inducted into the Norwich Sports Hall of Fame in May 2004.

DePina was born in the Cape Verde Islands on the Island of Fogo; he immigrated to the United States with his parents, John and Alinda Depina, at the age of 5.

DePina attended Preston Plains School, where he played baseball and also participated in baseball at the neighborhood Fitzgerald Field and worked at the YMCA all during high school. He also played baseball for the American Legion Post #4.

After leaving the YMCA, DePina was hired at Norwich Recreation to replace predecessor Richard Fontaine. He was dedicated to the people of Norwich, especially the youth, working tirelessly to maintain and create new programs, such as summer camps, youth basketball and participating in DARE youth programs.

DePina was instrumental in developing the Skate Board Park and Norwich Ice Skating Rink. He had also written and championed a plan to reopen the defunct YMCA, which closed in April 2009 because of economic hardships.

DePina retired as Recreation Director, after 25 years of service, in July 2011. He passed away, at the age of 54, on Sept. 16, 2011, after a valiant fight with a brain stem tumor. His wife and best friend Lynn and his three children, David, Jason and Emily DePina, survive him, as well as his mother Alinda, brother Quintin and sister Maria.

The Luis DePina Recreation Fields, with baseball, softball and soccer fields at 65 Mohegan Road, were dedicated in DePina’s memory. In May 2019, the first Lou DePina trophy was awarded to the winners of a soccer match by representatives of the Norwich Cape Verdean Festival.

In 2013, the Norwich Free Academy Foundation began awarding the Luis DePina Memorial Scholarship. It is given in his memory to college-bound athletes who have demonstrated a strong commitment to their team and community.

Jemal Davis, NFA Class of 1990

Jemal Davis was an exceptional athlete at NFA who was named All-State in football and also excelled in track and field. He attended UConn and was a three-year letter winner on the football team.

After graduation, he coached football at UNH and UConn before returning to NFA in 1998, joining the coaching staff and being named head football coach in 2008.

Davis led NFA to five Class LL state playoff berths in nine seasons before resigning in 2017 after 19 years, also serving as a Social Studies teacher. Jemal holds a master’s degree in teaching from Sacred Heart University and is currently assistant principal at Groton Middle School.

Davis served as a captain of the NFA Football and Spring Track Team, received the Team’s Most Valuable Senior Award for football and boys' indoor and outdoor track, and the Arnold I. Redgrave Award. He also received the Joseph Levanto Versatility Award, the Robert O. Fletcher-Charles Willey Cup, and was named Class Athlete.

During his tenure as coach at NFA he had two undefeated football regular seasons in 2010 and 2012; was named all-area Coach of the Year several times; won state Coach of the Year designations by the New Haven Register and also received the Coaches Award from the Connecticut Chapter of the National Football Foundation. He coached indoor and outdoor track and field teams, winning Boys Track State Coach of the Year. He led the girls’ indoor track team to two state championships; the boys outdoor track teams won three Class LL State Championships.

Beginning in 2002, the boys' track teams also took home eight consecutive ECC championships and won the State Open Boys Track Championship. He coached multiple athletes to individual state and New England titles.

Davis was inducted into the Norwich Sports Hall of Fame and the NFA Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

In a letter to the West Side Middle School Community in 2017, Davis writes: “My goal as assistant principal is to provide leadership that will promote and sustain a nurturing school environment. One that ensures an intellectual, physical, emotional, and social well-being of all students.”

Davis resides in Connecticut with his beautiful family.