Joe North, Ellen Renfroe Reed, Brandon Rowland, Dexter Williams and Jeff Wyatt are the newest members of the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame.

The five will become the 34th class inducted when ceremonies are held at the Carl Perkins Civic Center at 6:30 p.m., April 18.

NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM & WNWS.COM visited with Dexter Williams for a Question and Answer session.

As head basketball coach at Liberty Technology Magnet High School, Williams produced the first TSSAA state high school boys basketball title in the City of Jackson in 2006.

Liberty, which opened in 2003, repeated as state champions in 2007.

He was named the Tennessee Boys Basketball Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007.

Williams is the Director of Schools for the West Carroll Special School District.

Question: First, some background – where are you originally from, family and education?

Answer: I am originally from Trezevant, the son of Anthony and Josephine Williams and was raised in the Wingo community.

I graduated from West Carroll High School in Atwood in 1995.

I attended Union University on a full basketball scholarship, and graduated in 2000 with a double major – a Bachelor of Science in physical education and health, and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine.

I received my Master’s Degree from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2003, with an emphasis in administration and supervision.

My wife, Amber and I have three children – Kayleigh, 14, Kaleb, 12 and Karcyn, 10.

Question: What was the feeling when you were first told you had been selected for induction into the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame?

Answer: I was very shocked and humbled when I was first told I had been selected for induction into the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame. That is something that has never crossed my mind, nor have I really thought about being inducted.

I’m just thrilled and appreciative that the committee considers me worthy to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

It’s an honor that I would not be receiving had I not had the privilege to coach such outstanding student-athletes at Liberty Tech.

I also had an outstanding assistant coach, Terrell Green.

Question: Not too many people can say they were the first basketball coach at a new school, and three years later, win the first of back-to-back state titles. What was this experience like?

Answer: To win two state championships in four years at a new school was an amazing feeling.

It was my first high school head coaching position, and I had no clue that a boys basketball team from Jackson had never won a state championship.

It was hard to believe in the entire history of Jackson athletics that not one high school boys basketball team had won a state title.

The fact that I was the first coach to do it, and my players were the first to do it was also an amazing feeling.

That is something that will forever be etched into the history books of Jackson, and can never be taken from us.

My three kids will always be able to say that their dad was the first coach to win a state championship in high school boys basketball in Jackson.

Question: How did it work out that you became the head basketball coach at Liberty High School, and did you have to decide between Liberty and another school?

Answer: I coached junior high boys basketball at Northeast Middle School from 2000 to 2003. In the summer of 2002, Liberty Tech was in the process of being built and Mr. Johnny Reynolds had been hired as its principal.

High school summer school was held at Northeast Middle the summer of 2002, and I practiced my team everyday – except for ‘dead period.’

Mr. Reynolds would come to the gym during my practices occasionally, and just sit in the bleachers and watch.

He did this multiple times during that summer of 2002.

At that time, I had no clue that he had been named as principal of Liberty.

Honestly, I didn’t even know him very well.

He would come in and watch practice and leave – he never said a word.

When I learned he was going to be principal at Liberty, I applied for the job of head basketball coach.

When I met with him, he said ‘I have been watching you and your players at Northeast all summer.’

He told me that I was his man for the job!

At that time, I had applied and interviewed for other high schools to coach boys basketball – but I received only one offer, and that was from Mr. Johnny Reynolds.

He has gone to be with The Lord, but I am forever grateful, and will always appreciate him for taking a chance on an inexperienced coach, like I was at the time. I owe so much to him for giving me my first opportunity.

Question: What made you decide you wanted to go into administration instead of coaching?

Answer: I went into administration so that I could spend more time with my family. At the time, our children were five-years-old, three-years-old and one-year old.

The decision to go into administration was solely a family move.

Question: How has the transition from coaching to administration been?

Answer: The transition from coaching to administration was difficult at first, because I was still very young at the time and I missed coaching.

It became a lot easier when I started coaching my daughter’s and son’s travel basketball teams. I’ve been coaching their teams for the last four years, so I guess you could say this is my “basketball fix.”

Question: Has Dexter Williams completely ruled out a return to the game as a coach?

We all know the old saying – Once a coach, always a coach. I am very happy with my current position back in my hometown with the West Carroll Special School District.

Who knows what the future holds? Coach Williams could resurface, someday.

(PHOTO: Dexter Williams)
David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
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