If you name a sport, club, or any other activity outside of the classroom, there’s a good chance that Buena Vista’s Morgann Williams is involved in some way.
The graduating senior has played volleyball, tennis, competed on the track and field team and was the Longhorns mascot this past season.
That’s not including the dual credit courses she took at UTPB as well as being involved with UIL One Act Play and Academics. So how did she find a way to manage her time and balance everything?
Schedules. Lots and lots of schedules.
“Consistency was key because I know what times we would get out of practice and finish with any work that I had left and also finish important assignments before game days and tournaments,” Williams said.
In addition to everything else on the field, one of her favorite pursuits took place in a number of stock shows.
Williams has been in her local Future Farmers of American (FFA) chapter since the third grade and was also a chapter president.
She has helped raise pigs with her family, traveling to stock shows across the state in Houston, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin.
There’s another passion that Williams has maintained throughout her life: writing.
She says she drew that inspiration from her eighth-grade English class and how creative writing opened things up for her.
Even now, she still spends time looking back at the process she’s gone through.
“I’ve gotten so much better,” she said. “I remember in the eighth grade that I was pretty good at this and after that, I’ve seen a lot of improvement.”
A big key in what’s helped her reach that goal was her determination that head volleyball coach and assistant tennis coach Kym Flores saw as her coach over the last two years.
“What stands out the most about Morgann is her never give up attitude,” Flores said. “Any teacher would tell you that she’s very dedicated to her studies and is one of those students that you have high expectations for because she’s consistently meeting the others.”
Flores saw Williams flourish on the volleyball court,l saying that she went from struggling with her serve as a junior to becoming one of the best players on the team by the end of her senior season.
Setting that example is something that Flores hopes other players follow.
“She’s definitely a leader in sports and throughout the school,” she said. “I think that goes to show that the kids know her and look up to her.”
Williams will be following in the footsteps of other family members this fall as she plans to attend Tarleton State in Stephenville studying English, along with a minor in nutrition.
Her eventual goal is to become a high school English teacher and an author.
As for the nutrition side of things, Williams added that it’s another way that she hopes to help others.
“I’ve always liked medical stuff but never wanted to become a doctor,” she said. “When I started learning about it, I began to realize how many misconceptions there are about dieting and wanted to learn more about that.”
Flores added that she is excited to see what the future has in store for Williams.
She’s proud of how hard she’s worked and believes that she can find success in whatever path she eventually decides to take.
“Anything she puts her mind to, this girl is going to be successful,” she said. “I can’t wait to see what she comes up with and how she does in college.
“That would be exciting to one day be walking in the store and you see a past athlete and student as an author of a book. I can’t wait for that day.”
>> Follow Tony Venegas on Twitter at @OA_TVenegas
MORGANN WILLIAMS
Buena Vista
>> Academic Rank: Top 2 in graduating class
>> Sports: Volleyball; Tennis; Track; Cheerleading
>> Academic bio: 36 Dual Credit hours at UTPB
>> Athletic bio: Volleyball; Tennis; Track (Discus); Cheer (Mascot)
>> Activities: FFA Swine Showing; FFA Creed; FFA Chapter President; UIL One Act Play; UIL Academics; Yearbook; Baking; Reading; Music; Art
>> College and major: Tarleton State University (English/Nutrition)
>> Goals for the future: To become a high school English teacher; Write a book
>> Favorite subject: English
>> Favorite book: Red Queen
>> Favorite musician: Lin-Manuel Miranda
>> Role model: I don’t have just one person I can call my role model; I have many people in my life who have influenced who I am
