Athlete profile: Jordan Williams, becoming the best
By Jackson Nester
The Owasso wrestling team competed in their home tournament this past weekend and ended up earning fifth place. A major reason for this placement was senior Jordan Williams who recently transferred from Collinsville to Owasso. Williams has high expectations for this team, along with himself, which can easily be seen through his performance on the mat.
“We could’ve taken a better spot, but the other team just had a better day,” stated Williams.
Williams is one of the top wrestlers for not only the Rams, but for the whole nation. He is currently ranked second in the nation in the sport. This ranking is a result of Williams competing in various tournaments all across the country. This nationwide attention has led to a lot of interest from colleges all over, including: Ohio State, North Carolina, Oklahoma State and Iowa State, all of which Williams has considered attending at some point. However, after initially committing to Oklahoma State, Williams decommitted and took some time to take care of himself and consider if wrestling was something he seriously wanted to do.
“The commitment process overall was long and hard. I was pretty hesitant and took ‘til about last summer to make my decision,” Williams reflected.
After taking a break from the sport, Williams ended up committing again to Oklahoma State and continuing to pursue wrestling.
“The coaches, friends and family that I have around Oklahoma State is ultimately the reason I decided to commit and go there,” said Williams in regards to the main factors that played into him choosing OSU.
Williams has been heavily impacted by coaching since first taking interest in the sport at 10 years old. His first and most impactful coaching experience came from his grandfather who continues to help coach him to this day.
“My grandpa is a straight-up guy who knows how to be a leader,” expressed Williams.
From speaking to Williams, it’s easy to tell how meaningful his relationship is with his grandpa and how much it impacts him not only in the sport of wrestling, but in his day-to-day life. Yet, Williams’ grandpa isn’t the only coach that has been heavily involved in his wrestling career. A lot of coaching has also come from Williams’ dad and Coach Ryan, the head wrestling coach here at OHS.
Williams will look to finish his wrestling career here at Owasso strong, with the team’s next meet being Tuesday, Jan. 25 in Collinsville. Although, his career here at Owasso only marks the beginning of the exceptional display he hopes to put on in the sport.