From a fan’s perspective, football has always been an exciting sport that creates a fun, intense, dynamic atmosphere. It gives family and friends a chance to bond over friendly rivalries and cheering on their favorite teams. The tailgates, the delicious party food, the screams, the cheers, all make up an exciting environment. Most people never think of the other side of the coin, the players and the countless sacrifices they make to play the sport we love.
Born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Freshman wide receiver Xavier “Ziggy” Williams is one of a kind. “One of the top receivers in Florida in the 2018 recruiting cycle a four-star wide receiver by all major recruiting outlets rated as the No. 3 receiver, No. 29 player and eighth-best player from Florida on the ESPN300 by ESPN.com”. Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory’s top prospect, Williams has been setting the bar high since little league. Averaging 21.7 yards per game, 21 total touchdowns his senior year, Williams received a lot of interest from colleges and universities across the country. Racking in over 50 offers, Williams committed to The University of Alabama in early 2017.
“The recruitment process was hard for me because you don’t really know who’s feeding you bull or who really has your best interest in mind. You really have to go on what you think is best for you, you never know until everything plays out. I chose Alabama because I knew what I wanted for me. Alabama is the best of the best; we have the best players, the best coaches, the best everything. So if I say I’m the best or want to be one of the best, then why not come here and compete against the best. If I can make it here, then I can make it anywhere.”
Being a college athlete can be very difficult to a certain extent. Balancing school, your preferred sport, practice, games, workouts, and maintaining a social life can be overwhelming. The average routine of an Alabama football player includes class, practice, workouts, then tutoring. Coaches and mentors make sure each player’s schedule accommodates them best, and that there is as much balance as possible to ensure academic success. Most athletes can agree that the most difficult task is maintaining a social life.
“It’s not necessarily balancing school and sports, we have the perfect schedule to make sure school and football aren’t a problem. It’s your social life that gets cut, you really won’t have one compared to a regular student.”
College can be a fun and exciting time. It can also teach you some of life’s most valuable lessons. Being an athlete adds on to this; character, leadership, perseverance, self-discipline, work ethic, and time management are among the list of lessons taught and learned while playing a sport. While this can be challenging for some, the greatest lesson is taught during next level performance. Playing for one of the best college football teams in the nation is a rather exceptional feat. Most athletes who choose to play in college or professional leagues are some of the best players in their school, division, state, etc., and must start on a clean slate.
“The biggest challenge for me was just starting all the way over. I was one of the top players in the nation and I was so used to being praised and thought highly of. Now that I’m at Alabama, everybody’s the best so it’s like we’re all equal. Playing for Alabama is honestly humbling and a great experience for those who really want to play at the highest level. Everyone pushes everyone to do their best, we’re all a big family. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is trusting the process of the system. You might not be the man right now and you might have to start at the bottom, but as long as you continue to push yourself and do everything you’re supposed to do, you will see a change for the better.”
Why do student athletes do what they do? Why do they sacrifice so much? Is it because of their passion? Getting an education? Or simply to win championships? The gist of it is the love and dedication they have for the game that they play. Majority of every athlete’s dream is to play at the highest level. While dreams may vary depending on the individual, major accomplishments are not attainable without big aspirations to succeed. The achievement of dreams starts with a vision and a set plan of goals. Realistically, most athletes do not make it to this point, and must fall back on their secondary plan.
“After everything is all set and done, I just want to make my parents proud. My parents shouldn’t be working for anybody. They work too hard to make sure me and my family are good, and I just want to be able to take care of them. It’s my turn to make sure everybody straight. My dream is to make it to the league, but I’m getting my degree in Business. I plan on using both to my advantage. I want to open my own business one day and manage multiple businesses and organizations as well. Moral of the story, I just want to be successful.”
Being a student athlete can be challenging for some. As fans, we often forget the sacrifices that these elite individuals selflessly make.
