The Falcons will try to record their 21st national championship under Williams' direction when Raleigh plays host to the 2000 NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 25 - May 27, at Paul Derr Track on the campus of North Carolina State University.
Williams began his remarkable career as interim coach at Saint Augustine's College in 1976. From 1987 to 1998 his teams won 19 NCAA Division II National Championships, 26 NAIA District Championships and 35 CIAA Conference Championships. He has coached seven Olympians and has received 88 Coach of the Year awards from various sanctioning bodies.
Al Buehler, Duke University director of track and former coach of the 1992 U.S. Junior National team, considers Williams one of the top coaches in the world.
"I would rank Williams with the great coaches such as Dr. LeRoy Walker, Lloyd (Bud) Winter, and Stan Wright," Buehler said. "He is outstanding at taking an assortment of athletes, especially relay teams, and molding them to perform at the optimum level."
Williams' passion and enthusiasm for coaching is reflected in his dedication to his students, the sport of track and field and Saint Augustine's College, his alma mater. What follows is a Q&A with Williams and three of the world-class athletes he has coached in the past two seasons: Antonio Pettigrew, two-time 4 x 400 world champion; Deworski Odom, NCAA Division II 55-meter indoor record holder; and Tanya Oxley, NCAA Division II 400-meter indoor champion.
Q (to Williams): Why do you continue to coach at Saint Augustine's College when there are many opportunities available?
Williams: I am crazy about my school. This is the place that helped me, which is why I've never really considered leaving. I see students I know I can help. The students are most important. Until I lose that spirit, I will stay.
Q: How does it feel sitting on the throne in the mecca of college track and field?
Williams: What I want people to know is that the Saint Augustine's College track program is not just outstanding within the CIAA conference- we're known all over the world. We produce world class athletes such as Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, and many others.
Q: What are the key elements to a successful track and field program?
Williams: One, letting them know that academics are the prime reason they are here. Ninety-eight percent of my athletes graduate. Two, good athletes. Three, loving the kids. Four, discipline. You can't make them your buddies; you have to make them your kids.
Q: Is there a certain type of student you recruit?
Williams: Yes, there is. I like to recruit a student that wants an education and has goals and objectives. A student who wants to change (his or her) life, a student that is blessed with the natural ability to perform or run. I can mold the rest.
Q: Will there ever come a time that you outgrow Saint Augustine's College?
Williams: Once I began to build the track program, I realized we are capable of producing the best Olympians. There is nowhere else to go. It doesn't matter where you are; it's what you are doing.
Q: As athletic director at Saint Augustine's, where do you see the CIAA conference going?
Williams: I see the CIAA conference as being one of the greatest conferences in the country. Like anything else, if the unity stays and young loyal adults enter the conference with the same unity and loyalty that already exist, the conference is destined for something great.
Q: What was it like the year you wore three hats as basketball coach, track and field coach and athletic director?
Williams: It was a nightmare! I have never been so stressed in my life. My schedule was so hectic I didn't get home until 11 every night. I would eat at 11:30 then watch tapes of the competition, but that is the sacrifice I was willing to make to give the school and my students the opportunity to be successful. I love my students and it paid off. The basketball team won the CIAA Western Division Championship for the first time in fifteen years and the track team won the NCAA Division II Championship.
Q (to Pettigrew, Oxley and Odom): How would you describe Coach Williams?
Pettigrew: He is a man with a good heart that will go to any reasonable limit to assist any student. His coaching style is unique and he is loyal to Saint Augustine's College.
Q: How did you come to the decision that Saint Augustine's College was the place for you?
Oxley: I attended a junior college my first year and I realized I wanted to become a better athlete. Then a friend and my high school coach referred me to Coach Williams. Coach assured me that I would graduate and become a better athlete. He stated he would either make me or break me. I liked the track program and Coach was very honest with me. By attending St. Aug I have become a better runner. I qualified for the 2000 Olympic trials in the 400-meter and the 200-meter B standard.
Q: What have you learned from Coach Williams?
Odom: I've learned that hard work pays off and that everything will happen in time with patience. I also learned to look at the long-term effect and not the short-term results.
Q: What are Coach Williams' motivating tactics?
Oxley: He talks to us about his experiences with the great athletes he has coached and uses positive reinforcement to get the best from each individual.
Q: What do you like most about Coach Williams?
Oxley: I can talk to Coach about anything. It isn't always about track and field. He is like a father to me, as well as a good friend and a great coach.