GCCISD Magazine Feature: Q&A with GCM Volleyball Coach Michael Williams

MICHAEL WILLIAMS IS NOT NEW ONTO THE COACHING SCENE. THE VETERAN COACH HAS HAD MULTIPLE SUCCESSFUL STOPS, INCLUDING ONES AT CARTHAGE, KINGWOOD PARK AND MOST RECENTLY HUFFMAN. WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE NEW GCM HE AD COACH PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE 2020 SE ASON.

VYPE: You took Carthage to the 2003 state tournament. Do you look back on that team in particular to take notes of what worked as you go year to year?

Williams: "No doubt. You know what it takes. It's a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck too. You always compare your teams to them. What do we need to work on to get back to that spot? Let's be honest, every team in Texas has the goal of going there."

VYPE: What made GCM a place you wanted to come to be the next head coach?

Williams: "Well, ever since I moved back to the Houston-area, the teams I've coached have either been in a district with GCM or we've competed against them somewhere at tournaments. I'm very familiar with the school and the program since it opened. Whenever Coach Veen moved on to Barbers Hill, I knew what they had and thought this would be a good opportunity in the area."

VYPE: You got this job during a global pandemic when people couldn't be around others for a long time. How did you approach getting to know your new team through it?

Williams: "It's been difficult because we had several instances this summer where we started strength and conditioning and then got canceled because of an outbreak. There were a lot of inconsistencies. We've been going good since August 3 and it's been nice because you've been able to slow things down. [Because of the delayed start to the season] we had five or six weeks where we were able to take our time, work on the fundamentals of the game and teach them the way I want them to play the game."

VYPE: When you look at this GCM roster, there are some key players including Taylor Kotlarz and Zoe Martinez.

Williams: "Taylor is a very dynamic outside hitter, she's a big gun. There's not a lot of schools that have a Taylor hitting outside for them. So, I'm very fortunate to have that. Zoe is a very good setter, very accomplished. She's capable of running the offense we want to run. She does a great job. She's a very good leader, runs the team, very calm, cool and collected."

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