The 2020 SHOWCASE MAGAZINE Community Strong People of the Year
are sponsored by URW COMMUNITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Travis Tarpley was born and raised in Danville. Tarpley attended Danville Public Schools where he played basketball, football, and ran track. He went to Delaware State University on a full football scholarship, broke three school records, and earned All-American honors. After attending Detroit Lions minicamp as an unstaffed free agent, Tarpley played professional arena football for a year. Ultimately, that’s where his football career ended because of a torn ACL injury. Tarpley came back to Danville, had surgery at Duke, and recovered fully. He began working at the Danville Family YMCA and serving the community through youth football camps and mentoring. Currently, Tarpley is a personal trainer at Urban Fitness and owner of Duck Mentoring Service.
Tarpley sat down with Showcase to discuss why it’s important for him to get involved in the community.
Showcase Magazine: How do you define community involvement?
Travis Tarpley: Community Involvement is being directly connected with fulfilling the needs of the community.
SM: What inspires you to get involved in the community?
TT: I have a passion for helping the youth and providing them with opportunities to be successful.
SM: How do you balance life, work, and community involvement?
TT: Work and community involvement go hand-in-hand for me, so it’s natural to serve. I take personal time to enjoy life outside of work frequently.
SM: What is the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?
TT: Always believe in yourself and to never give up!
SM: Who are your real-life heroes and why?
TT: My mom is my real-life hero. I’ve watched her manage being a single mom, and she did it with no complaints. She went above and beyond what she had to do for me and made countless sacrifices to give me the best things and opportunities life had to offer.
SM: What is it about Danville that makes it special to you?
TT: Danville is special to me because of the love and support I received from sports growing up. The city supported the high-school games to capacity. Even when I went off to college, the support continued, so I feel obligated to give back.
SM: What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
TT: In 2021, I’m most looking forward to just continuing to help my training clients reach their health and fitness goals. Also, excited about expanding my mentoring services.
SM: Do you have a favorite quote, and if so, what is it?
TT: “When it’s too tough for everyone else, it’s just right for me.” – Wendell Scott.
SM: How do you recharge? What do you like to do outside of work and volunteerism?
TT: I like to take trips to different cities to go hiking, shopping, and eating at different restaurants. I enjoy going to the beach, fishing, and attending NBA and NFL games.
SM: What is your idea of happiness?
TT: Happiness is when you’re confident in yourself and at extreme peace.
SM: What are your favorite things to do in Danville?
TT: I like to support the local restaurants, go to the youth sports games and enjoy the scenes, and exercising on the Riverwalk trail.
SM: What are your visions for the future of Danville?TT: My visions for the future of Danville are seeing the city become a place where all cultures can get along and mix and mingle amongst each other. I’d like to see more mixed crowd events. I’d also like to see Danville adopt some nightlife for the different age groups. Downtown bars, hookah spots, rooftop restaurants or hang out spots,
