Campus senior James Williams is driven by one thing above all else: the opportunity to compete.
“The thing I’m most excited about is the competition and the hunger to win,” Williams said. “I’m excited to have that ‘amped’ feeling before kickoff of my senior year; to have the feeling to be the best in my position but let the field and Jesus do the talking.”
Williams has spent the offseason preparing for what he hopes will be his best year yet. His daily routine begins at 5:30 a.m. with team workouts in the weight room and on the field. In addition to team training, he has worked with a personal trainer throughout the summer and attended football camps at TCU, Oklahoma State and Friends University. He also plans to attend a camp at Emporia State before the summer ends.
“I’m letting God lead me on what to do and how to do it,” Williams said.
One of Williams’ biggest priorities this offseason has been improving his speed. Although he already considers speed one of his strengths, he believes there is still room to grow.
“The one thing I want to improve on is my speed,” he said. “I’m fast now but I want to be faster; I want to be my best.”
To reach that goal, Williams has focused on strength training and plyometric exercises designed to improve his footwork, endurance and explosiveness.
“I strive to be prepared for the next level of football,” he said. “With God’s help, I know that’s possible.”
Williams also has set ambitious goals for his final high school season. Individually, he wants to surpass his previous production, increase his career tackle total from 96.5 to 150 and earn All-League honors.
“My individual goals are to improve from previous seasons and heavily exceed my past stats,” Williams said. “I hunger to prove myself and stand out to everyone who I play with and play against.”
Team success remains equally important. Williams said he hopes to help strengthen the Colts’ chemistry while building accountability and trust throughout the season.
“I want us to hold each other accountable and fix our mistakes together and win together,” he said. “I also want us to trust one another both on and off the field, believing that we are all doing our part to make Colts football dignified.”
Despite missing more than half of last season because of an injury, Williams made a significant impact. In 4½ games, he recorded 41 total tackles, including 22 solo tackles and 19 assists, while averaging 9.1 tackles per game. He also forced one fumble and blocked one field goal.
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