ARKANSAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME DAVE WILLIAMS

Fatherly approach for coach

Pocahontas benefited from longtime leader

Former Pocahontas football coach Dave Williams, who will be inducted posthumously into this year’s Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, won 206 games in 33 seasons with the Redskins.
Former Pocahontas football coach Dave Williams, who will be inducted posthumously into this year’s Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, won 206 games in 33 seasons with the Redskins.

Fourth in a series profiling the nine newest members of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Induction ceremonies will be held March 3 at the Statehouse Convention Center.

Jeff Williams saw Dave Williams in three different lights -- father, football coach and colleague.

Dave Williams, the longtime Pocahontas football coach who died of liver cancer at age 70 in 2013, affected thousands of high school football players in Arkansas through his four-plus-decade career.

Dave Williams glance

SCHOOL Pocahontas

POSITION Head coach

AGE 70 (born Jan. 2, 1943, died Nov. 12, 2013)

NOTEWORTHY Served as head coach and athletic director at Pocahontas from 1981-2013. … Won more than 200 games at Pocahontas. … Led Pocahontas to 16 state playoff appearances, including nine conference championships. … Conference coach of the year 10 times. … Coached in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star football game four times. … Also was a head coach at Carlisle (1978-1980). Assistant coach at Blytheville, Charleston, S.C., Searcy and Carlisle. … All-State football player at Van Buren. … Four-year letterman at Arkansas-Monticello.

"Bottom line, it's how you treat people," Jeff Williams said. "I was amazed by how tight-knit those guys were and how they played for each other. There was a sense of pride he brought to Pocahontas."

When Jeff Williams, the current coach at Fort Smith Southside, reflects on his father, he does so with fond memories.

"He was tough on me," said Jeff Williams, who played at Pocahontas for his father from 1989-1991. "But he's probably the best coach I ever played for. He had a great enthusiasm for the game. It rubbed off on all of his players. I was fortunate. I was on the sideline with him from 4 years old to my playing career.

"He taught you how to play hard and compete and do the best that you can."

Dave Williams served as head football coach and athletic director at Pocahontas from 1981-2013. He led the Redskins to 16 state playoff appearances and nine conference championships. The Van Buren native was also selected conference coach of the year 10 times and coached in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star football game four times.

In August 2014, Williams was inducted into the Van Buren Hall of Fame. In July 2015, he went into the Arkansas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

On March 3, Williams will be inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Williams is scheduled to be inducted by Pocahontas Superintendent Daryl Blaxton and former University of Arkansas at Monticello teammate Ronnie McFarland.

"It's been overwhelming for our family to see the reaction and things he accomplished looking back," Jeff Williams said. "If he were here, it would be all about his players and assistant coaches. He didn't want to take a lot of credit for a lot of things."

A few years back Southside had lost three consecutive games, which led Jeff Williams to give his father a call on how to get his team on the right track. He didn't get the advice he was seeking.

"I call him at 2:30 in the morning and I woke him up," Jeff Williams said. "I'm complaining and bellyaching. He said, 'There are 300 teams in this state. 150 of them are going to win and 150 are going to lose. I've got problems of my own. Get them fixed.'

"He taught me that everybody has problems of their own. It's your job to get them fixed."

Southside later reached the Class 7A semifinals and defeated North Little Rock to get to the Class 7A state championship game. Dave Williams was there to see his son after the game.

"We walked off the field. He patted me on the back and said, 'I guess you got it fixed.' " Jeff Williams said.

Jeff Williams said Dave Williams' impact extended beyond the football field. Since his father died, Jeff Williams admits he sees things differently in life, such as to look past the victories and defeats.

He recalled a meeting with a former Pocahontas student at Dave Williams' funeral in 2013.

"A young girl at Pocahontas came up to me after his funeral," Jeff Williams said. "She didn't play athletics. She just went to school. She said, 'I never had him in class. But he sat outside the school and said good morning. That meant a lot to me. He said I hope you had a good day. Nobody said that to me.'

"Being an encourager can really impact somebody."

Jeff Williams said he was proud of being Dave Williams' son and a player for him.

"He was a great father," Jeff Williams said. "I was very fortunate to obviously get to play for him. I saw all different aspects as a player, a son and as a peer in the coaching business.

"He loved kids. He loved people. He loved my mother and all of his kids. He was a great man to be around. He was always a guy that pulled for the underdog. He had a lot of interest in kids and in their futures."

Sports on 02/25/2017

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