NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida coach has been honored for his calls on and off the field.
Isaac Williams, was honored by USA Football as part of its inaugural “Thanks Coach” program.
“It just was a humbling experience. I just couldn’t believe it. Still to this day, I couldn’t believe it,” Williams said.
The nomination, made by a player’s parent, came as a surprise to Williams. The 23-year-old, who was one of the youngest coaches chosen among thousands of nominees nationwide, proved hard work and dedication pays off.
“He does it genuinely out of his heart, and basically, he just told me that part of the reason he wanted to do it was he saw what was happening with the kids in the neighborhood, and if he could influence them into going the other direction. That’s something he wanted to do,” said Miami Police Sgt. Stanley G. Paul.
USA Football was looking for an inspiring coach who has gone above and beyond the call of the game. That’s exactly what they found in Coach Williams. Despite losing three of his brothers to gun violence, he never lost sight of what’s most important.
“Sports can really change the lives of kids so that just made me pour into my community in which I serve in Overtown,” Williams said.
Williams also works to ensure his players do well in the classroom as well as on the field. He visits the player’s teachers and checks in on them at school as an instructional advocate for Touching Miami with Love.
“When you go to school and visit them, they know that you really care about them, you know?” Paul said. “You take interest in what’s going on in their life. It’s not just using them on the football field.”
USA Football awarded Williams and his team of 8 and 9-year-old players a $2,500 check for new equipment, a priceless gift for a sport he believes changes lives.
“My mentor once told me, she said, ‘Think about it like planting seeds.’ You plant one seed, you may not see it grow right then and there, but, you know, down the line, you keep watering, keep nurturing it, it’ll eventually grow into something that you want it to grow,” Williams said. “That’s why I see myself doing right now, basically just pouring into kids. Hopefully, later on down the line, I can see them blossom into something great.”
This is just the beginning of Williams’ career, who said his passion lies with the kids.
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