Making the impossible, possible
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (BVM) —聽 Sometimes, the best athletes come from the worst situations. Growing up in poverty, losing a loved one or having a near-death experience are all things we鈥檝e seen elite athletes overcome and use as motivation to create something better for themselves. They don鈥檛 let those hardships define them.
For Bainbridge High School football player Jamauri Williams, the fact that he has no hands has never slowed him down.
Williams was born with a birth defect, leaving him without hands on both arms. This would make it hard to catch a football, hard to lift weights, hard to do many things that other football players can accomplish with ease. But the freshman wide receiver finds ways to continue moving forward.
Head coach Jeff Littleton says that Williams doesn鈥檛 make any excuses.
鈥淚n the weight room he鈥檚 always asking for alternate ways to do a lift or he creates something himself,鈥� Littleton said. 鈥淭oday we did power cleans and he can’t do that, so he does box jumps and squats. He probably did 200 box jumps today.鈥�
The determination is beginning to pay off. In the Bearcats鈥� 42-0 playoff win over Westside Macon, Williams caught a five-yard pass, his first at the varsity level. And if his work ethic is any indication, there should be more where that came from in the future.聽
What鈥檚 stopping you from achieving your dreams?
At 11, I鈥檓 talking with Jamauri Williams. He鈥檚 a freshman on the Bainbridge varsity football team. He was born without hands.
On Saturday, he made his first catch in a playoff game. He says he鈥檚 just getting started.
— Jacob Murphey (@jmurpheyWCTV)
For Williams, it鈥檚 easy to continue working hard. He鈥檚 just another guy on the team. He doesn鈥檛 let his disability allow him to be inferior. And neither do his teammates. The Bearcats have had the freshman鈥檚 back all season long.
鈥�There鈥檚 no doubt (his teammates are supportive). He grew up around them…what he does is聽 encouraging to others,鈥� Littleton said. 鈥淚t’s amazing to watch him compete. You can see the determination and focus in his eyes.鈥�
Jamauri is appreciative of the support and the opportunity to be on the field. Although the team was up big and it was late in the game, Williams earned that chance to be on the gridiron. Any time a ninth-grader gets time on the varsity stage, it鈥檚 impressive.
Littleton said that oftentimes, their coaching staff tries to validate their younger players hard work by finding them some on-field moments when appropriate.
鈥淚t means a lot,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淐oach believed in me.鈥�
Another person that Williams credits a lot of this recognition to is his mother, Colby. Colby Williams has been her son鈥檚 number one fan from the start; all the way from the backyard to the elementary school team where he got his official start.
鈥淪he鈥檚 been encouraging me the whole way,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚 love her and thank her for that.鈥�
But when it comes down to it, Williams created these chances all by himself. With a high character and his values correctly prioritized, the young wide receiver has impressed people all across the nation.聽
鈥淗e worries about working hard, doing his best, doing the little things,鈥� Littleton said. 鈥淎bove all else, he wants to be a successful, hard working kid that does the right things.鈥�
