In a must-watch ending to this year’s cross-country state championship race, CSW senior Brandon Williams outkicked the reigning state champion, Jason Baker from Cape Henlopen High School, in the final 400 meters to take home the victory as state champion for the first time in his cross-country career. This major accomplishment signified the conclusion of an outstanding and impressive cross-country career by Williams, arguably one of the best runners to ever attend the Charter School of Wilmington.
I took this opportunity to interview Williams regarding his thoughts on his state title and a reflection of his past experiences. When asked about how winning the state championship has affected him, he stated that it hasn’t greatly affected him but has given him hope and confidence for the upcoming track season.
A key point to remember about Brandon is that his discipline and commitment to training played a major role in his success throughout high school. His work ethic demonstrates that winning isn’t easy; it’s not an overnight process, and it requires both dedication and a willingness to overcome obstacles over many years to achieve. As an underclassman, Williams battled with many injuries that caused him to lose a lot of training time. Through these challenges, he “learned to stretch more thoroughly and to listen to [his] body.”
When Brandon described his cross-country performances throughout each season of his high school career, his answers varied from year to year, starting in freshman year, when he had very strong performances that exceeded his expectations. Sophomore year was definitely a step back from his previous season, as he struggled with many injuries that impacted his race times throughout that fall. In his junior year, he made massive improvements, allowing him to make his mark at both DSAC conferences and the county meet. Williams continued to improve as he entered his final year of high school, and though he didn’t meet all his goal times, he ultimately ended his high school cross-country career on a high note by winning the state championship.
Brandon attributed his success as a runner to his greatest role model, Doug Davis (CSW Class of 2023), who motivated him to try to beat him in races. After he graduated, Williams was continuously inspired by Doug, as he hoped to beat some of Doug’s personal best times, specifically in the 800-meter dash. Similarly, just as Brandon was motivated by Doug, I look up to Brandon mainly due to two reasons: his work ethic and humble character. Whenever I’m not going beyond my comfort zone, Brandon pushes me to stay disciplined and continue striving to achieve my goals. Furthermore, in my opinion, one characteristic of Brandon that will always inspire me is his humble nature. After winning races, he never flaunts his victories to his fellow competitors or his coaches and teammates, truly speaking volumes about the type of person he is.
Brandon has learned many valuable lessons from his high school cross-country career, which has given him insights into various aspects of running, but his biggest piece of advice for any athlete striving to compete at the highest level is simple and direct: “Train consistently and find goals to motivate yourself through the hard training.”
As Brandon enters a new chapter of his running career on the collegiate level at Lafayette College, there is no doubt about his success. During his time at the Charter School of Wilmington, Brandon Williams has proven that he can perform at a competitive level, as shown through his dedication to the sport of running and his countless accolades. Who knows when Charter will have another runner of Brandon’s caliber?
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