Written by Kate Hunger
Samantha Gonzalez-Davis, office manager for the School of Health Professions, is very clear about her goal as a competitive amateur foosball player: She wants to win a national championship title.
“There’s no stopping me right now,” she said.
Gonzalez-Davis started playing foosball in 1987 when she met the man who would become her first husband.
“A year later, we started traveling together. We won our first title — it was mixed doubles. I was just glued. I wanted to do it more.”
But Gonzalez-Davis stepped away from the sport after her husband died in 1994. “It was just a constant reminder,” she said.
After a 25-year break, Gonzalez-Davis returned to foosball at the urging of a friend. She now plays goalie and has won awards for her skill in that position.
“I went back on Feb. 19, 2019, and I have been playing ever since,” she said, estimating that she has competed in at least 2,000 tournaments — more than three dozen in 2024 alone.
“I travel. I’ve gone to 17 states,” she said. “I’ve played against Canadians, I’ve played against Romanians, I’ve played against Italians. Everybody from everywhere comes. You become family; you become friends.”
Beyond the camaraderie and the opportunity to learn new techniques, Gonzalez-Davis enjoys the thrill of competition and the pursuit of victory. To get there, she practices two to three hours a day at home.
“I want to win,” she said. “I want people to know who I am on the table. I just want to be able to get on the table and say, ‘I’ve done it.’ Period.”