All boys. All boarding. Grades 9-12.
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Catching Up With David Williams '02
Williams Plays Football at Wofford
David Williams graduated in 2002 after three years at Woodberry. He is currently a freshman at Wofford, where he plays tight end on the football team. After a redshirt year in 2002, he looks forward to contributing in 2003. The following interview is the final segment of a series on-line.
Part III
Q: How does playing football affect your social life?
A: Well it is kind of funny that you ask that. I enjoy a good time on the side, and I do my fair share of socializing, and everyone is going to have some fun now and then. But, I have to make the decision to join them and risk being dead tired for a morning work out or to go to sleep and make that mature decision. I have done both and afterwards, you tend to not make that poor decision too often. It’s a sacrifice. I get up every morning in the off-season at 5:30 and run and then lift weights every day. I will say I have had a wonderful time thus far, but in many ways playing football has limited my social life.
Q: What are the off-season workouts like and how has your strength, size, and speed changed since you started at Wofford?
A: Well we usually run in the morning. Then we lift at various times depending on our schedules, and at the end of each lift and run, we do some form of exciting tough drill known as "MT" or Mental Toughness. It could be anything from hundreds of pushups in weird forms to doing something like crabbing all over the place or something to burn you out. On Tuesday we run 100 yard sprints after our workouts as well. During the season I got a lot stronger and a lot bigger. I was getting faster but then the foot injury slowed me. I was up to about 245 or so, but I am cutting down now and I am going to try to loose a lot of weight to get rid of a lot of fat and get to a playing weight with a lot lower fat percentage and weight of 230. I have already lost 15 pounds and am around 230, but I still need to lower my fat percentage. With the loss of weight, I have improved my speed. I have increased my strength a great deal.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing to overcome so far?
A: The night life issue was very difficult. Having to be mature is tough at times. The injury was very disappointing and frustrating because I'd have to wake up at 6:30 and be in the training room every morning, even if we didn't have a morning workout. Never getting enough sleep is also pretty tough.
Q: How are your teammates?
A: As I said before they are like brothers.
Q: What motivates you now?
A: To anyone who is planning to play college football, motivation is probably the most important thing. If you can motivate yourself, you will do well. I had a lot of trouble during the season especially with the injury. The college game is more like a job than it is in high school. In high school you can let your testosterone motivate you, and it’s just about playing a game. As much as I wish it were the same in college, it's not. It is a job, but if you can find your zone it keeps you motivated. It's hard to explain but if you played or play you can understand. You can't get to the college level and expect to compete with just your teammates to make you better because they are so far ahead of you. If you do that, then it will set you back. You have to compete with yourself and push yourself. You have to want to play as well. You can’t just ride the ropes or you'll never get anywhere. But as soon as you start playing, focus on finding your zone. Watch an older player and it will help you...
Q: Do you have any advice for younger high school players?
A: It's hard to sit here and just give a little bit of advice...Make sure that you really want to play before you make the decision to actually go through with it. Be ready to sacrifice a lot as well.
Q: What is your outlook for spring practice and next fall?
A: Well it's funny because you emailed this to me a while back...and now I am currently in the middle of spring practice, so my outlook is of course to get better. I feel that I am behind on my knowledge as a player, so I really want to improve on that by next fall. I want to be able to get out there and play full speed without having to think too much.
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Part III
Q: How does playing football affect your social life?
A: Well it is kind of funny that you ask that. I enjoy a good time on the side, and I do my fair share of socializing, and everyone is going to have some fun now and then. But, I have to make the decision to join them and risk being dead tired for a morning work out or to go to sleep and make that mature decision. I have done both and afterwards, you tend to not make that poor decision too often. It’s a sacrifice. I get up every morning in the off-season at 5:30 and run and then lift weights every day. I will say I have had a wonderful time thus far, but in many ways playing football has limited my social life.
Q: What are the off-season workouts like and how has your strength, size, and speed changed since you started at Wofford?
A: Well we usually run in the morning. Then we lift at various times depending on our schedules, and at the end of each lift and run, we do some form of exciting tough drill known as "MT" or Mental Toughness. It could be anything from hundreds of pushups in weird forms to doing something like crabbing all over the place or something to burn you out. On Tuesday we run 100 yard sprints after our workouts as well. During the season I got a lot stronger and a lot bigger. I was getting faster but then the foot injury slowed me. I was up to about 245 or so, but I am cutting down now and I am going to try to loose a lot of weight to get rid of a lot of fat and get to a playing weight with a lot lower fat percentage and weight of 230. I have already lost 15 pounds and am around 230, but I still need to lower my fat percentage. With the loss of weight, I have improved my speed. I have increased my strength a great deal.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing to overcome so far?
A: The night life issue was very difficult. Having to be mature is tough at times. The injury was very disappointing and frustrating because I'd have to wake up at 6:30 and be in the training room every morning, even if we didn't have a morning workout. Never getting enough sleep is also pretty tough.
Q: How are your teammates?
A: As I said before they are like brothers.
Q: What motivates you now?
A: To anyone who is planning to play college football, motivation is probably the most important thing. If you can motivate yourself, you will do well. I had a lot of trouble during the season especially with the injury. The college game is more like a job than it is in high school. In high school you can let your testosterone motivate you, and it’s just about playing a game. As much as I wish it were the same in college, it's not. It is a job, but if you can find your zone it keeps you motivated. It's hard to explain but if you played or play you can understand. You can't get to the college level and expect to compete with just your teammates to make you better because they are so far ahead of you. If you do that, then it will set you back. You have to compete with yourself and push yourself. You have to want to play as well. You can’t just ride the ropes or you'll never get anywhere. But as soon as you start playing, focus on finding your zone. Watch an older player and it will help you...
Q: Do you have any advice for younger high school players?
A: It's hard to sit here and just give a little bit of advice...Make sure that you really want to play before you make the decision to actually go through with it. Be ready to sacrifice a lot as well.
Q: What is your outlook for spring practice and next fall?
A: Well it's funny because you emailed this to me a while back...and now I am currently in the middle of spring practice, so my outlook is of course to get better. I feel that I am behind on my knowledge as a player, so I really want to improve on that by next fall. I want to be able to get out there and play full speed without having to think too much.
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