2-7. Last year’s losing re- cord was one that no one on the varsity football team wanted to experience again. But it took more than just a brand new year for the team to recover from the disappointing season. It took hours of work on the eld, new goals, new relationships, and new motivation. For junior Bryson Williams, it took chasing a dream.

“Going 2-7 was God-awful and I never wanted to do that again,” said Williams.

In his hometown, Rockford, IL, the rst team he played on was the North- west Knights. In middle school, he played on the school team at Rockford Lutheran. After moving back to Lincoln at age 14, he continued on with his Knight legacy here at Southeast.

“I’ve been a Knight my whole life,” said Williams. “Football has always been fun for me. It became my favorite sport in eighth grade once I gured out I was actually pretty good at it.”

The ball began to roll for Williams between the end of his sophomore season and the beginning of his junior season. The previous record played a role in his motivation, but there was also mo- tivation from the sidelines. His mom.

“I got my work ethic from my mom because she works really hard. The pas- sion for football brought out working really hard everyday. Once I start some- thing, I want to nish it strong.”

His strong work ethic was respected by his teammates, who voted Williams
as varsity team captain his junior year. Captains are typically strong senior lead- ers on the team, but Williams con dently shouldered the responsibility.

“[The captains] all had the same mission. Be great, and make sure every- one else is great with us. We never really had any personal goals for ourselves, we were always looking out for the whole team. That meant making sure everyone was there, and if they weren’t there, try- ing to gure out why and hold everyone accountable.”

For the varsity team, this year was unlike any other.

“It was de nitely more of a family type atmosphere this year, more than last

year. Everyone cared for each other, so that really helped.”

This year was also a year for the seniors to give it their all.

“[The senior’s] motivation was that it was their last year and they wanted to leave everything on the line,” Williams said. “For us on the junior side, we didn’t want to let them down. That’s why we put so much work in and will continue to do that this summer because the seniors built this up for us and we don’t want to let them down.”

Williams’ determination to suc- ceed pushes him to utilize every spare moment in his day. He wakes up at 5 a.m. every weekday to go train at Athology,
a sports training facility, for two hours. From there, he rushes home to get ready for the school day, where he maintains a 3.7 GPA. After school, he heads to track practice where he participates in shotput and discus. From his track practice, he lifts again for another two hours. He typi- cally comes home around 7 p.m., nishes up his homework, then is in bed by 10 p.m.

Along with his busy schedule, Wil- liams maintains a healthy diet.

“I eat a lot,” Williams said. “I don’t eat a lot of chips or junk food. I eat lots of protein. I bring half a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter everyday to school. That’s why I carry two bags around. When I get home, I eat a lot of meat, as well as potatoes. That’s how it goes.”

His hard work has not gone unno- ticed. Williams has been on the national radar for top prospects coming up to play college football. He shows off his hard work at camps throughout the summer, including a Husker football camp that he attended with fellow teammates.

Williams showcased his skills at the Nike Opening, “an NFL combine for high schoolers,” in Chicago in early April.

He has also been invited to many visits, where he has gathered offers from schools including Yale, Cornell, Harvard, Naval Academy, UCF (Central Florida), South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota St, Kansas State, Iowa State, Air Force, Iowa, Ohio, and Princeton. But he’s not going for the name or for the football program. He’s looking for much more.

“I’m looking for two or three things,”

Williams said. “I’m looking
for a school that ts me and
where the coaches want me. And, I am looking for a place where I feel a strong relationship between players and coaches and between players and players. I don’t want to be playing somewhere where I wouldn’t look forward to going to prac- tice everyday with the guys I am playing with or where I don’t like the coaching staff. I’m also looking for a place with a great education because football will end sometime.”

Williams maintains constant com- munication with coaches by emailing, texting, and calling them. It’s a necessity that he keeps in touch with them, just to keep a strong relationship.

His ultimate goal isn’t to make
it into the NFL. He wants to develop himself as a football player, and wants to make sure he is better than when he started.

“If it happens [going into the NFL], then it happens,’ Williams said. “I am going to go to school, get my degree, and the rest will play itself out.”

Williams has set goals on and off the eld. He wants to be the greatest player he can be and keep improving himself on the eld. Off the eld, he wants to keep building his character and become the best person he can be. Along the way of bettering himself, he has learned impor- tant lessons.

“I’ve learned that things happen and might not go your way. You can’t let them hold you down. In general, things happen that you don’t want to happen, or you didn’t expect to happen, and you have to gure out how to control what you can control, and get through it.”

Williams has kept his mind on one goal and is now enjoying the luxury of his results.

“[To future athletes] – stay with it. There are going to be tons of people that are telling you that you can’t do it or you’re not good enough. Put yourself in a position where people can’t say no. Make yourself that good, or that competitive, where everyone is just like ‘Woah, this kid has good character.’ Keep working.”