As a standout student athlete at Groves High School, RayQuan Williams is known for his dedication in the classroom and his work ethic as a two-way lineman for the Rebel football team.
His positive approach to the daily grind is even more impressive when the struggles of his personal life come to light.
At home, Williams served as the primary caregiver for his mother, who was battling on long illness before she passed away in December from complications related to it at the age of 42. His father, Raymond Williams, died when RayQuan was just five-years old when he drowned in a 2012 fishing accident at the Daffin Park pond.
As he faced life’s adversity head on, Williams’s second family of coaches, friends and teachers at Groves were there to lend support — while his resolve served as inspiration to those who were there to lend a hand.
“I miss my mom every day,” Williams said. “She was my best friend. If I wasn’t at school or football practice I was with her and we would talk non-stop and watch shows together. She always cared more about school than sports and she said I had to have an 85% average to play football. Sports was an afterthought to my school work, and I’ll always remember that.
“She only got to see me play once. She was able to make it out for my Senior Night and it was amazing to see the desire she showed —coming out in a wheelchair to see her boy on a special night. I made a promise to her before she died that I will walk across the stage to get my college degree.”
Williams, who is a dual enrollment student who also studies at Savannah Tech, was honored last week in a ceremony at Groves as he received The Abbie DeLoach Foundation and The Savannah Quarterback Club Scholar Athlete Award which included a sizeable trophy to go along with college scholarship funds.
Williams said he was honored and grateful to receive the award, which he said will help him achieve his goals of earning his degree and eventually landing a job working for Gulfstream.
He thanks his coaches — including Rebel head coach Calvin Wells, assistant coaches Angela Solomon and Richard Calhoun along with athletic director Kevin Evans and a number of teachers and counselors who have been with him every step of the way.
“RayQuan is a good football player and a great student athlete with a huge heart. He had to grow up too soon with all the responsibilities he had taking care of his mom,” Well said. “He made the promise to his mom about finishing college and we really appreciate the Abbie DeLoach Foundation and the Quarterback Club for helping allow that dream to come to fruition.
“He is a hard working and dependable kid. If he doesn’t know something he needs to know, he is going to learn it,” Wells said. “He’s that deal when it comes to staying in line and getting things done — and it’s really unbelievable to see after the double heart break of losing both parents. He truly embodies the brotherhood we try to promote in our program and he wanted all his teammates to be here today to share this moment. He’s showing them what can happen when you walk the right way.”
Angela Solomon is a varsity assistant football coach who works with lineman, while serving as the head JV coach for the Rebels. She looked on with pride Thursday as Williams was honored and able to share the moment with his friends, family and supporters in the Groves auditorium.
“As a coach, it was a pleasure to work with RayQuan because I knew the perseverance it took for him to be at practice every day,” Solomon said. “As a coach, that gives you a lot of joy to see a young man continue to prosper despite everything he was going through. He’s not your average kid and he’s mature beyond his age. He came back to school the same week his mom passed and I asked him why. He said ‘I came back because it’s what my mom would want me to do.’ We’re very proud to see him recognized for everything he has accomplished.”
Evans is a Groves alum who knows what it takes to succeed under tough circumstances — and he said Williams’ fortitude has had an impact throughout the Groves community.
“RayQuan is a humble kids who just works so hard,” Evans said. “He is disciplined and does everything he needs to do. You can see the character from the way he was raised by his mom. We’ve try to give him a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear when he needs it. But he has honestly helped me in my life — because I realize now that you never know what someone is dealing with in life.
“I think about what he is going through, and yet he shows up every day with a smile on his face ready to work,” Evans said. “It helps me get through it when I think I’m having a tough day.”
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: RayQuan Williams of Groves honored for strength during life’s toughest times
