From hurdles to hills

Multisport junior athlete Joshua Williams took a step back from running track his sophomore season after a scary event on a seemingly normal track day. Williams suffered a slight concussion after getting hit in the head with an errant discus during practice.

“My parents didn’t feel that it was safe for me to be there ,” Williams said. He continued to run on his own after the injury to honor the work he put in during the track season.

In less than a year’s time, Williams bounced back, and he is now showcasing his speed as the top runner on the Cedar Shoals cross country team. 

Williams ran his first high school race with a time of 18:50 at the North Georgia Championships at Lamar Murphy Park, placing 57 out of 214 runners. 

“I always want to do better, but I think that it went alright,” Williams said. During the North Oconee Invitational Williams finished in 20:03 finishing in 30th place on a tougher course. 

Head coach Justin Rebitch sees Williams’ effort paying off.

“There’s some people that you can just tell they have natural talent,” Rebitch said. “He not only puts in work here, but he wants to always do extra work and try to improve.He is an extremely mannered young man.”

Williams’ teachers also see those traits as a student.

“Josh is very smart. I knew that off the bat. He’s very intelligent. He brought me a cake, coffee, and donuts this morning. So I’m thrilled to teach him, I’m really grateful,” Mrs. Joanna Martin, social studies department chair, said. 

WIlliams focuses on school work and setting goals to become a better runner. His goal for the upcoming meet, the Riverside Military Invitational, is to run an 18:50, even though he is unfamiliar with the course.

”I don’t think I’ve prepared very well for this upcoming meet, but my goal is to do my best and just run my race,” Williams said.