Post by ideamark on Oct 5, 2006 16:13:58 GMT -5
Thanks to Intermat for the link to the Illinois Matmen forum...
www.illinoismatmen.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6983
Williams returns home to Illinois
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY ANDRE' MORGAN
Illinois Matmen Staff
ROCKFORD, IL -- I was shopping in Wal-Mart with my granddaughter on Tuesday when the call came. It was from Illinois’ most famous wrestler, Joe Williams. The high school legend, the Olympian, the collegiate champ, the world medalist, the Real Pro Champ, the one and only Joe wanted to talk and all I needed to do was listen. Williams recently hired as a volunteer assistant coach at Northern Illinois University is coming home to Illinois after 13 years on the road. After wrestling at the University of Iowa, coaching at Iowa and helping out at Iowa State University, wrestling in Greece in the Olympics and around the globe in various International places I got the feeling that Williams is ready to slow down, just a little bit. "It feels real good to be back home and give back to the state where it all started,” said Williams. "I look at Illinois as a place where everything started. I don’t care if you are an Olympic champ or whatever you got to go home. I am back home.”
"For so long wrestling at it's highest level, the collegiate level has not given Illinois its just due,” said Williams. "You hear about Iowa or Iowa State but with the emergence of the University of Illinois in the last few years people are starting to recognize how good Illinois wrestling is. The high school kids are getting the job done and it is hard to keep all of the kids in state because there are just so many of them. The other state universities are recognizing that now.”
Williams is one of the most decorated wrestlers in the history of the state and the sport. In 1981, Williams, one of the founding team members of the Harvey Twisters along with his brothers T.J. and the late Steve, helped put the Twisters and Illinois kids wrestling on the national level. Williams learned how to wrestle from Hall of Fame Coach Quintroy Harrell who recognized Williams potential but was patient with his development.
After enduring a long personal losing streak with the Twisters, Williams placed 1st at the IKWF state meet in 1987 and 2nd in 1988 but as an eighth grader in 1989 won the state title. It was the beginning of an incredible winning run for Williams. At Mt. Carmel and wrestling for former Olympic Coach Bill Weick, Williams won four state titles, compiling a 160-1 record with the only loss coming on a disqualification as a freshman for an illegal slam. Reflecting back on how it all began Williams commented on when he first realized he could be great. "Before going into high school coach Quintroy Harrell told me that I could be the next four time Illinois State Champion. He told me that there wasn’t anyone out there that could beat me, except for myself. I believed in him and if he believed that I could accomplish that, then I believed it. Success started to come fast at the high school level, but then I lost one match my freshman year. I was winning the match 12-2 before slamming my opponent to the mat and being disqualified from the match.” Coach Harrell was there and he said, “Remember what I told you. Nobody can beat you but yourself.” Williams is also one of eight Chicago Catholic League four time champions in over 70 years. The career win mark is currently third on the all time win list at Mt. Carmel (recently eclipsed by Kenny Jordan and Mario Morgan) and number one (tied with Eric Tannebaum) in Illinois for win-loss percentage.
Wrestling for his third consecutive Hall of Fame coach, Dan Gable at the University of Iowa, Williams continued to re-write the record books as a three-time NCAA Champion and two-time Big Ten Champion. Williams became Iowa's 14th four-time All-American in 1998. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1998 NCAA Championships, where he ended his collegiate career on a 39-match winning streak. In the Iowa record books, Williams is tied for first in the season record category with the 34-0 mark he earned in 1998. He also ranks eighth in career winning percentage with .935 (129-9) and 10th in career wins (129) at Iowa. Most importantly Williams earned a BA in Sociology and Communication Studies in 1998. Williams became the second wrestler in Midlands Open history to win five titles (1993-2001).
Moving on to the international stage, success continued on the Olympic level in Freestyle. Joe has earned honors as a 6-time U.S. National Champion, 5-time World Team Member, 4-time World Cup Champion, 2-time World bronze medalist, and represented the United States as a 2004 Olympic Team Member in Athens, Greece.
While on the road all of those years Williams has been looking back at the Illini state from afar and that led to the inquiry into the coaching position with the Huskies of Northern Illinois University. Head Coach Dave Grant got a call from Williams after seeing a posting for the assistant’s position on the Internet. "I knew some of the athletes,” said Williams. "I saw a posting and was familiar with the program. We just kind of started talking. He discussed several issues and where the program could help out. The volunteer position allows me to continue to train. Dave understands my position of wanting to continue to train. It (volunteer assistant) is a lot more flexible position and that is actually perfect.”
The position may be perfect but can one of the world’s best athletes fit in with the Northern Illinois team this year? "I will do whatever Coach Grant has in store for me,” indicated Williams. "I am there to help out anyway I can. If it means being a water boy or working out with the wrestlers then those are my duties as a volunteer coach and I will do them. It’s real early but from what I have seen they are a hard working team. We have guys that want to learn and get better. That is all you can judge them on for right now. That makes me real happy to be involved in a program that has athletes who have a great work ethic and who want to win. I think I can share the places I have been and take the things I have learned from those places and share it with them. A lot of it is just communicating. Another aspect is stepping out of that role as a coach and putting myself in their shoes and see what I did when I was a collegiate and the things that worked for me.”
In addition to getting a new coaching job the man upstairs has come into Williams’ life when he recently became a born again Christian. This has provided a new perspective on the ways of the wrestling world as well as life as an ordinary Joe. "I recently met a good man Dietmarr Goellner when I moved to Rockford,” said Williams. "I work for two of his companies Hennig in Machesney Park and Advanced Machine & Engineering in Rockford as an assistant Human Resource Manager. I enjoy what I do and could see myself doing this for a long time. But Mr. Goellner is the person that helped me get back on track with my religion along with being able to work and still train. Through him I became born again and that support will carry me through everything else. I am in a state where I am trying to figure a lot of things out. I just want to know what God has in store for me. Everything else is small compared to that. If God wants me to wrestle and win then I will, if he wants me to coach other young men then I will, and if he wants me to just work and spread his message then I will do whatever he wants. Since 2004 I have not really had job security. Now I have that and for the first time I got people that have opened my eyes to the religious aspect and from there everything is a stepping-stone. When I told my mother you would have thought she had hit the lottery. She was so happy for me that I had found God in my life.”
Train? Yes that was the one question I really wanted to know. Is it over or is Joe Williams going to make another run at the Olympics? "Well I guess on paper I am still an Olympic contender,” replied Williams. "But paper does not win matches. I think what I do now matters. Again it is a long time away but then again it is right around the corner. A lot will depend on the development of my relationship with the current coaching staff and the athletes. Coach Grant has indicated that he will do anything and everything to build and develop our relationship with the coaches and the athletes. Right now, I am trying to get settled and get on a schedule. That is important right now.” One of the original members of the Real Pro Wrestling organization, Williams feels a commitment to the wrestling community and Real Pro that will keep his competitive juices flowing. The founder of RPW, Tobie Willis has put a lot of time and energy into the organization. "That (Real Pro) is coming up and they will travel around in a dual meet format,” said Williams. "There are a couple of individuals that are putting their money and time into Real Pro Wrestling because they really love the sport. They are giving back to the sport and the time they are putting in makes me want to compete. They are taking on a sport that is not loved and putting a lot of their personal money into it so I am going to support them because of that.”
Williams (31) has until recently been supporting his family of wife Kim, 18 month Wyatt and 4 year old Kaleb as a clinician working camps in and out of Illinois. "My youngest is kind of the brutal type so he might be a wrestler, and my oldest is into a lot of things and is really good at basketball, singing and other stuff so who knows,” said Williams. When thinking about his wrestling beginning yet knowing he must provide financial support, a part of Williams is saying remember where you started. "I am a clinician and my reason for working with those other clubs or schools like Tinley Park Bulldogs or Glenbard North is to teach good techniques. I will not discriminate against a club or team because of who they are competing against, that is my job as a clinician, to teach those that want to learn. If someone wants to hire me I have to work. As a clinician that is my job. But going back to the Twisters is special place. That is my heart. Because that is where everything started I would not expect to be compensated for working with the Twisters. I will volunteer my time there. When I think about the Twisters it takes me to a lot of different places mentally. When I see that Twisters singlet on the new Twisters it is like a special bonding, a fraternity that no one understands but other Twisters. I don’t think a lot of people know where we come from. What I had to do to get to the highest level. Or where I came from either. It all started on 150th and Cooper in Harvey. The one name that comes up every time is Coach Quintroy Harrell. He was there when it started and is still there. Going in that room is something else. Their practices are harder than some of the college practices. He obviously has some good technique and life lessons to pass along or else he could not produce these great wrestlers year after year. It takes a different man to raise a kid from the beginning and to make them a wrestler is even harder. In addition to my duties at NIU I will be at Harvey working with the Twisters. And when my sons want to wrestle, I will make the drive to Harvey so Coach Harrell can teach them what he taught me. If he retires I will pay him to personally train both of my sons, that's how special Coach Quintroy Harrell is to the Harvey Twisters.
While coaching and training at NIU, Williams expects to also remain a part of the legendary Sunkist Kids organization. "Along with all of the people that have helped is Art Matori CEO of Sunkist kids. He has been real supportive and in helping me provide for my family in more ways than one."
While Williams is moving on after some trying recent times he can’t help but look back at where he has been and where he is going. Iowa shocked the wrestling world this past spring hiring Tom Brands and bringing back Williams' former coach Dan Gable as an assistant. Across the state Iowa State hired former Olympic teammate Cael Sanderson. Shockwaves were felt from Virginia to Utah to Ohio. The coaching dominos started to fall real fast. "It was a big change,” said Williams. "You got Brands and Cael. Both guys have been to the top and got gold medals. It is going to be exciting. Brands is hard nose, aggressive and relentless. Cael is more laid back, and (former Iowa coach Jim) Zalesky is a great technician and great at breaking down wrestling. I don't agree with how he (Zalesky) was treated at the end but from the universities view it’s a business. When you don’t win at the pace they expect, changes will be made. We have seen it these past years with coaches being let go and new ones being hired. It will be exciting this year in Iowa. I won’t miss being in Carver Arena because I have not been there for a few years but I will miss the fire from the coaches and the Iowa support system but I will get some fire from the NIU coaches here. Cael and his brothers went to ISU, Brands and his family went to Iowa. I am in a situation where I don’t know anything about being from NIU but hopefully the wrestlers get to learn from me about the fire that we had in Iowa, I know about that and a few other technical things I will show the guys. Athletes have to be treated individually and you have to work with them to improve individually. If you want physical guys then you recruit them and if you want guys that ride you recruit that type of guy. NIU’s Joey Galloway is good on his feet so you don’t change that. The real test is what athletes NIU recruits three years from now. The real story is what style of wrestler will Dave Grant see fitting into the program now. However I don’t know if my job will involve recruiting. By taking this position that allows me to train. That may not be involved in my job description, although it might evolve later but not right now.”
"To be honest I love wrestling and I love coaching,” said Williams. And the Huskies will love having Williams around.
__._,_.___
www.illinoismatmen.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6983
Williams returns home to Illinois
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY ANDRE' MORGAN
Illinois Matmen Staff
ROCKFORD, IL -- I was shopping in Wal-Mart with my granddaughter on Tuesday when the call came. It was from Illinois’ most famous wrestler, Joe Williams. The high school legend, the Olympian, the collegiate champ, the world medalist, the Real Pro Champ, the one and only Joe wanted to talk and all I needed to do was listen. Williams recently hired as a volunteer assistant coach at Northern Illinois University is coming home to Illinois after 13 years on the road. After wrestling at the University of Iowa, coaching at Iowa and helping out at Iowa State University, wrestling in Greece in the Olympics and around the globe in various International places I got the feeling that Williams is ready to slow down, just a little bit. "It feels real good to be back home and give back to the state where it all started,” said Williams. "I look at Illinois as a place where everything started. I don’t care if you are an Olympic champ or whatever you got to go home. I am back home.”
"For so long wrestling at it's highest level, the collegiate level has not given Illinois its just due,” said Williams. "You hear about Iowa or Iowa State but with the emergence of the University of Illinois in the last few years people are starting to recognize how good Illinois wrestling is. The high school kids are getting the job done and it is hard to keep all of the kids in state because there are just so many of them. The other state universities are recognizing that now.”
Williams is one of the most decorated wrestlers in the history of the state and the sport. In 1981, Williams, one of the founding team members of the Harvey Twisters along with his brothers T.J. and the late Steve, helped put the Twisters and Illinois kids wrestling on the national level. Williams learned how to wrestle from Hall of Fame Coach Quintroy Harrell who recognized Williams potential but was patient with his development.
After enduring a long personal losing streak with the Twisters, Williams placed 1st at the IKWF state meet in 1987 and 2nd in 1988 but as an eighth grader in 1989 won the state title. It was the beginning of an incredible winning run for Williams. At Mt. Carmel and wrestling for former Olympic Coach Bill Weick, Williams won four state titles, compiling a 160-1 record with the only loss coming on a disqualification as a freshman for an illegal slam. Reflecting back on how it all began Williams commented on when he first realized he could be great. "Before going into high school coach Quintroy Harrell told me that I could be the next four time Illinois State Champion. He told me that there wasn’t anyone out there that could beat me, except for myself. I believed in him and if he believed that I could accomplish that, then I believed it. Success started to come fast at the high school level, but then I lost one match my freshman year. I was winning the match 12-2 before slamming my opponent to the mat and being disqualified from the match.” Coach Harrell was there and he said, “Remember what I told you. Nobody can beat you but yourself.” Williams is also one of eight Chicago Catholic League four time champions in over 70 years. The career win mark is currently third on the all time win list at Mt. Carmel (recently eclipsed by Kenny Jordan and Mario Morgan) and number one (tied with Eric Tannebaum) in Illinois for win-loss percentage.
Wrestling for his third consecutive Hall of Fame coach, Dan Gable at the University of Iowa, Williams continued to re-write the record books as a three-time NCAA Champion and two-time Big Ten Champion. Williams became Iowa's 14th four-time All-American in 1998. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1998 NCAA Championships, where he ended his collegiate career on a 39-match winning streak. In the Iowa record books, Williams is tied for first in the season record category with the 34-0 mark he earned in 1998. He also ranks eighth in career winning percentage with .935 (129-9) and 10th in career wins (129) at Iowa. Most importantly Williams earned a BA in Sociology and Communication Studies in 1998. Williams became the second wrestler in Midlands Open history to win five titles (1993-2001).
Moving on to the international stage, success continued on the Olympic level in Freestyle. Joe has earned honors as a 6-time U.S. National Champion, 5-time World Team Member, 4-time World Cup Champion, 2-time World bronze medalist, and represented the United States as a 2004 Olympic Team Member in Athens, Greece.
While on the road all of those years Williams has been looking back at the Illini state from afar and that led to the inquiry into the coaching position with the Huskies of Northern Illinois University. Head Coach Dave Grant got a call from Williams after seeing a posting for the assistant’s position on the Internet. "I knew some of the athletes,” said Williams. "I saw a posting and was familiar with the program. We just kind of started talking. He discussed several issues and where the program could help out. The volunteer position allows me to continue to train. Dave understands my position of wanting to continue to train. It (volunteer assistant) is a lot more flexible position and that is actually perfect.”
The position may be perfect but can one of the world’s best athletes fit in with the Northern Illinois team this year? "I will do whatever Coach Grant has in store for me,” indicated Williams. "I am there to help out anyway I can. If it means being a water boy or working out with the wrestlers then those are my duties as a volunteer coach and I will do them. It’s real early but from what I have seen they are a hard working team. We have guys that want to learn and get better. That is all you can judge them on for right now. That makes me real happy to be involved in a program that has athletes who have a great work ethic and who want to win. I think I can share the places I have been and take the things I have learned from those places and share it with them. A lot of it is just communicating. Another aspect is stepping out of that role as a coach and putting myself in their shoes and see what I did when I was a collegiate and the things that worked for me.”
In addition to getting a new coaching job the man upstairs has come into Williams’ life when he recently became a born again Christian. This has provided a new perspective on the ways of the wrestling world as well as life as an ordinary Joe. "I recently met a good man Dietmarr Goellner when I moved to Rockford,” said Williams. "I work for two of his companies Hennig in Machesney Park and Advanced Machine & Engineering in Rockford as an assistant Human Resource Manager. I enjoy what I do and could see myself doing this for a long time. But Mr. Goellner is the person that helped me get back on track with my religion along with being able to work and still train. Through him I became born again and that support will carry me through everything else. I am in a state where I am trying to figure a lot of things out. I just want to know what God has in store for me. Everything else is small compared to that. If God wants me to wrestle and win then I will, if he wants me to coach other young men then I will, and if he wants me to just work and spread his message then I will do whatever he wants. Since 2004 I have not really had job security. Now I have that and for the first time I got people that have opened my eyes to the religious aspect and from there everything is a stepping-stone. When I told my mother you would have thought she had hit the lottery. She was so happy for me that I had found God in my life.”
Train? Yes that was the one question I really wanted to know. Is it over or is Joe Williams going to make another run at the Olympics? "Well I guess on paper I am still an Olympic contender,” replied Williams. "But paper does not win matches. I think what I do now matters. Again it is a long time away but then again it is right around the corner. A lot will depend on the development of my relationship with the current coaching staff and the athletes. Coach Grant has indicated that he will do anything and everything to build and develop our relationship with the coaches and the athletes. Right now, I am trying to get settled and get on a schedule. That is important right now.” One of the original members of the Real Pro Wrestling organization, Williams feels a commitment to the wrestling community and Real Pro that will keep his competitive juices flowing. The founder of RPW, Tobie Willis has put a lot of time and energy into the organization. "That (Real Pro) is coming up and they will travel around in a dual meet format,” said Williams. "There are a couple of individuals that are putting their money and time into Real Pro Wrestling because they really love the sport. They are giving back to the sport and the time they are putting in makes me want to compete. They are taking on a sport that is not loved and putting a lot of their personal money into it so I am going to support them because of that.”
Williams (31) has until recently been supporting his family of wife Kim, 18 month Wyatt and 4 year old Kaleb as a clinician working camps in and out of Illinois. "My youngest is kind of the brutal type so he might be a wrestler, and my oldest is into a lot of things and is really good at basketball, singing and other stuff so who knows,” said Williams. When thinking about his wrestling beginning yet knowing he must provide financial support, a part of Williams is saying remember where you started. "I am a clinician and my reason for working with those other clubs or schools like Tinley Park Bulldogs or Glenbard North is to teach good techniques. I will not discriminate against a club or team because of who they are competing against, that is my job as a clinician, to teach those that want to learn. If someone wants to hire me I have to work. As a clinician that is my job. But going back to the Twisters is special place. That is my heart. Because that is where everything started I would not expect to be compensated for working with the Twisters. I will volunteer my time there. When I think about the Twisters it takes me to a lot of different places mentally. When I see that Twisters singlet on the new Twisters it is like a special bonding, a fraternity that no one understands but other Twisters. I don’t think a lot of people know where we come from. What I had to do to get to the highest level. Or where I came from either. It all started on 150th and Cooper in Harvey. The one name that comes up every time is Coach Quintroy Harrell. He was there when it started and is still there. Going in that room is something else. Their practices are harder than some of the college practices. He obviously has some good technique and life lessons to pass along or else he could not produce these great wrestlers year after year. It takes a different man to raise a kid from the beginning and to make them a wrestler is even harder. In addition to my duties at NIU I will be at Harvey working with the Twisters. And when my sons want to wrestle, I will make the drive to Harvey so Coach Harrell can teach them what he taught me. If he retires I will pay him to personally train both of my sons, that's how special Coach Quintroy Harrell is to the Harvey Twisters.
While coaching and training at NIU, Williams expects to also remain a part of the legendary Sunkist Kids organization. "Along with all of the people that have helped is Art Matori CEO of Sunkist kids. He has been real supportive and in helping me provide for my family in more ways than one."
While Williams is moving on after some trying recent times he can’t help but look back at where he has been and where he is going. Iowa shocked the wrestling world this past spring hiring Tom Brands and bringing back Williams' former coach Dan Gable as an assistant. Across the state Iowa State hired former Olympic teammate Cael Sanderson. Shockwaves were felt from Virginia to Utah to Ohio. The coaching dominos started to fall real fast. "It was a big change,” said Williams. "You got Brands and Cael. Both guys have been to the top and got gold medals. It is going to be exciting. Brands is hard nose, aggressive and relentless. Cael is more laid back, and (former Iowa coach Jim) Zalesky is a great technician and great at breaking down wrestling. I don't agree with how he (Zalesky) was treated at the end but from the universities view it’s a business. When you don’t win at the pace they expect, changes will be made. We have seen it these past years with coaches being let go and new ones being hired. It will be exciting this year in Iowa. I won’t miss being in Carver Arena because I have not been there for a few years but I will miss the fire from the coaches and the Iowa support system but I will get some fire from the NIU coaches here. Cael and his brothers went to ISU, Brands and his family went to Iowa. I am in a situation where I don’t know anything about being from NIU but hopefully the wrestlers get to learn from me about the fire that we had in Iowa, I know about that and a few other technical things I will show the guys. Athletes have to be treated individually and you have to work with them to improve individually. If you want physical guys then you recruit them and if you want guys that ride you recruit that type of guy. NIU’s Joey Galloway is good on his feet so you don’t change that. The real test is what athletes NIU recruits three years from now. The real story is what style of wrestler will Dave Grant see fitting into the program now. However I don’t know if my job will involve recruiting. By taking this position that allows me to train. That may not be involved in my job description, although it might evolve later but not right now.”
"To be honest I love wrestling and I love coaching,” said Williams. And the Huskies will love having Williams around.
__._,_.___
