The phrase "coming from out of nowhere" is an overused axiom in sports reporting, and almost always incorrect.

It's used to describe a runner rallying from far back to win a race, or a football or basketball player racing in from out of view to make a great defensive play.

Of course there's no such place as "nowhere" and so the phrase reflects more on the reporter or writer not having noticed someone previously, and then realizing they are definitely someone worth noticing.

Such is the case with Holmdel, New Jersey midfielder Sean Davis, one of the latest invitees to the U17 Men's National residency program in Bradenton, Florida.

Two years ago this summer Davis was shedding tears at not being chosen for the Region I '93 ODP team (then U14). He felt he was at a crossroads because of his deep desire to get the most out of his soccer experience. He describes what happened next.

"My parents (Keith and Lynn) and coach (Richard) Williams were there for me. They told me I could make the regional team if I wanted it bad enough. That's when I knew I really wanted to be a serious player. I had a lot of drive to do that," Davis said.

"Coach Williams and I would practice every day. The next summer (2007) I went to regional camp and played in the small-sided games and did well. I got invited to callback camp and then to the (ODP) interregionals (November 2007) where I made the all-star thing," he continued. "They started talking about the national team.  I felt so fortunate that (USSF Scout) Tony Lepore saw me and so I got invited to the U15 Boys National Team camp in California. I started slow but got better as the week went on. I went to Italy with the regional team but I didn't go to Spain with the national team (last spring) and that was disappointing again. I thought I wouldn't get called to St. Louis (with the U15s in June) but I did and they were very happy with my play there."

"When I was there the residency staff saw what I could do and they called me to the summer showcase (in Greensboro, NC the following week). Then I was invited on the trips to Argentina and Central America. My parents and coach Williams keep telling me to stay humble and help me keep my feet on the ground and not get a big head."

Those qualities are evident when you talk to Davis, but so are the extreme dedication and ambition that took him from "somewhere" to somewhere more prominent. On the field, he's a bona fide two-way midfielder with as much passion for winning a ball as for playing the simple pass or the probing killer pass. He can also be dangerous himself with the ball at his feet.

To Davis, who plays club ball for Match Fit Academy, all of this stems from his feet and his brain, things he tried to cultivate even more when he faced his setback two years ago.

"I worked a lot on my technical ability. He (Williams) tells to me to watch a lot of high-level soccer so I can learn how to move and how to find the ball."

Strength and aerial prowess are two top areas of self-criticism for Davis, but both should benefit greatly from being involved with Wilmer Cabrera's setup at Bradenton, where players train every day in state-of-the-art facilities.

But Davis seems to have learned to adapt to whatever his training environment is. His mother Lynn describes his work ethic.

"He's been so focused. He's always going to the gym," she said. "We went on a cruise and he was the first one up every morning to go work out. He's always kicking a ball around or weightlifting. I have to struggle with him with his school work but he told me he already calculated what he had to do to get straight As and that's what he did. I think he plays soccer as much as he possibly can."

Lynn actually served as Sean's first coach in recreational soccer.

"Even in kindergarten he was so fast and he understood the game better than most kids. That's when I first noticed, but I didn't know if it was just like every parent thinks their son is the best," she said. "At that age it's just good if they are going in the right direction. When we started with travel soccer when he was in third or fourth grade, he was fast and played the whole field."

While David has excelled at the club and regional level, he admitted the trips with the U17 MNT this summer to Argentina and Central America were something new.

"Playing in South America I saw a level I hadn't seen before," he said. "Every day there was a challenge and I just mostly wanted to learn from them. There's so much more I'm going to learn."

Davis lists the national team, a college scholarship and pro soccer as goals, adding he doesn't want to look "too far down the road."

His club coach, Richard Williams, helped him set the goals. Williams said Davis has shown an unusual level of commitment for a player his age.

"He reads a lot of pro players' autobiographies like Roy Keane and Steven Gerrard," Williams said. "He wants to learn everything about the big-time players to see what they did to get where they are and what he needs to do to the same place or higher. That's an unusual trait."

Williams' work with Davis has always revolved around one area: technique.

"With good technique you are able to control the game and your opponent. It can make things easier on the field. It gives you time and space on the ball," he said. "Sean has been totally dedicated to the game and getting better. He's very much a student of the game. He watches a lot and works all the time."

And that is a recipe for turning disappointment to triumph.