IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO TAKE PART IN MORE THAN ONE SPORT DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR.
But, doing so simultaneously is an entirely different ordeal.
Cheer captain Mylee Williams cheers for her school-mates on the sidelines, but also stars for the Wildcat volleyball team in the fall.
“Honestly, juggling those two parts of my life as a student-athlete can be difficult,” she said. “I go into each practice ready to work and focus on that specific skill. It’s hard sometimes when managing school too, but I’m committed to devoting the time to both teams because that’s what they deserve.”
Although the senior transferred to Willis ISD from College Station just four years ago, she wasted little time in recognizing what stepping through the school’s doors meant to her.
“Being a Wildkat has been the best thing for me,” Williams said. “In my experience, I’ve seen how everyone comes together as a community, which you might see in other places, but it’s different at Willis. Everyone bleeds purple and it’s been amazing to grow up in the short time I’ve lived here.”
The same could be said for the moments she’s spent in both fields of play.
“I would just say learning about each girl and developing bonds with everyone has really helped me to improve myself in a lot of ways,” said Williams. “I feel like I’ve grown to understand how to interact with different kinds of people, which is something you definitely need, especially as a leader.”
Now that Williams is approaching the final stretch of her high school career, she already has a plan locked in for what her foreseeable future might look like.
“Ideally, I’d want to go to college with a scholarship for both sports,” she said. “When it comes to my career path, education is something that I’ve really been looking into. Coaching would be fun, as well. I think that being a cheer coach would be more my style since I’m a little more familiar with that area.”
If the choices she’s made up to this point are any indication, the outlook should remain bright for Williams throughout the remainder of her formative years.