In air or on the track, South Central's Angela Williams making full use of raw athleticism

GREENWICH − Athleticism comes in all shapes, sizes and appearances. Being athletic can mean owning strength, power and speed. It can be chalked up as exhibiting balance, coordination, mobility, stability and agility. You can also determine athleticism by displaying fine leaping ability, an absurd level of stamina and an insane measure of acrobatics. Some of those components an individual is naturally blessed with, and some they have to develop over time.

For South Central senior Angela Williams, athleticism is the name of the game for her. That raw athleticism she possesses is unveiled every time she competes in a track meet, as she sprints her way to victories in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, then springs her way to first-place finishes in the long jump.

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You got it, use it

Being athletic is one thing. Using it to the fullest it another thing. Williams uses her physical features to full capacity. Standing at 5-foot-10, she's lengthy. Long arms. Long legs. Lean frame. Williams recognizes the physical features she boasts and uses them accordingly as a sprinter.

"My long legs definitely help my stride," Williams said. "As I go around in either the 200 or 100, it gives me more time to get across the track. My arms control my legs. Those are two good features I like to have when I run those races."

Those physical features are in some ways similar to the greatest sprinter in track and field history in Usain Bolt, who was known to utilize his 6'5" height and long strides to cover ground in fewer steps, which gave him quite the advantage over his opponents in both the 100 and 200 sprints.

Williams doesn't just dabble in track, too. Her athleticism crosses over to the indoor court, where she's played basketball and volleyball for the Trojans throughout her prep career. In volleyball, you'll see her as the middle hitter (usually the tallest player and the first line of defense against the opposing team's attacking hitters) using that length.

In hoops, as one of the guards, she's roaming all over the court to make things happen, from handling the ball to playing pressure defense to getting deflections or steals to playing inside.

Williams got into how each sport lends a helping hand in sprinting.

"In volleyball, you work on your vertical and your quick movements. Going into track, your fast twitch plays into the 100. When the gun goes off, just being able to react to it quickly," said Williams, a first-team All-Firelands Conference choice in basketball. "From basketball, just going back and forth helps you get into that sprinting mode and endurance would help carry over into track I'd say."

Jump, jump

Running is one thing, however; Williams' athleticism just might stand out the most when she's in the air. One would surmise that the lengthiness in her legs and arms definitely come in handy in the long jump. And being able to capitalize on her leaping aptitude.

"You have to have good speed for it and a good vertical," said Williams, on the right qualities she feels a long jumper needs to have. "From that point on, it's basically technique. Bring your knees up and bring your second leg through. Bicycle through. The vertical I work on in volleyball helps with my long jump to get height."

The technique Williams likes to dial up she calls "sinking and exploding."

"My coach [Brian Cook] tells me you want to sink a little," Williams said, who's personal record in the long jump stands at 18 feet, 2 inches, which is the school record. "If you sink a little and come up, that's where your height comes in and you get up. Helps you explode and that helps into your kick and final pull."

Well, Williams has been sinking and exploding plenty in the long jump throughout her career. She's a three-time Division III state qualifier (2021, 2022, 2023), a three-time Firelands Conference champion, has won four of the five long jump events at track meets/invitationals she's competed in and even better, medaled as a junior at last year's state track meet in Columbus (eighth place) to earn All-Ohioan honors (top-eight finish).

"Last year, I went through the same thing as I did in my sophomore year. At state, my first jump was a 16-8, which wasn't really getting me anywhere. I prayed before and said, 'God, I'm giving you the glory for this jump. This jump if for you.' Then I ran and I jumped and by his grace, I got a 17-1," Williams said, who was less anxious and more experienced her third time around at state. "It was relieving, and it got me to a better place where I can relax."

Regular winner

Williams said in her freshman year, she leaned more on her athleticism as a young sprinter but over the next few years, became a more refined runner, throwing in more technique on top of that.

"Going faster around the curve. Keeping my head straight and my breathing," Williams said, who will run track in college at Division II Cedarville University.

Blend in the more technical side of running, mixed with the built-in vaults and throw in the natural speed to boot, and Williams has shaped herself into a regular winner in literally every individual event she participates in.

Three times (Crestview Pruner Invitational, Bob Royer Invitational, Bob Knoll Invitational) at the same track meet/invitational this season, Williams swept the 100, 200 and 400 meters. And that doesn't even include her winning the 100-200 double at the Plymouth Memorial and Buckeye Central Invitational, and the 200 and 400 at the Ridgedale Track Invite.

Being able to balance all three sprints is one thing but to win all three in the same meet pretty consistently is another. A two-time state qualifier in the 200 (2022, 2023) approaches each sprint differently.

"For the 100, I try to react to the gun as fast as I can to get out and start my quick strides," said Williams, who was the 100, 200 and 400 meters champion at last week's Firelands Conference meet for the second year in a row. "For the 400, I think don't lag behind and start off strong and get stronger as the race progresses. In the 200, it's about the same thing. At that point, I'm thinking about the curve and accelerating through."

No telling what could be in store come postseason, as Williams will aim to make state in the 200 and long jump. Asked if she thinks a higher place on the podium in the long jump at this year's state meet is in the works, Williams responded by saying, "I hope so."

A modest answer for quite the athlete.

jsimpson@gannett.com

Twitter/X:@JamesSimpsonII

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: South Central's Angela Williams making total use of raw athleticism