Alexa Williams Is Dayton Sports Next Big Thing

Dayton track and field star Alexa Williams knows where she stands historically in her school's long line of stellar athletes. But if you ask her to spout her accomplishments, she's too busy trying to top her previous personal and school records.  

While remaining humble, she can be a paradox because she's also confident enough to talk about her eventual standing within the JDHS all-time sports echelon.    

"For track I'm one of the better ones at Dayton ever in the long and high [jumps]," she said. "There are others in the past who were standouts in other sports but I definitely think I stand with them right now and will stand with them when I'm done here."    

Such bold forecasting is one factor that drives her because she often has a target on her back. Prior to competing, Williams is prescient of where her focus needs to be, allowing her to stay relaxed and confident.   

There are times, however, when the junior might feel a little over-anxious but that's because she's just so eager to best her last mark.

"The only pressure I feel is pressure from myself because I sometimes feel I'm not good enough," she said of her pre-event mentality. "I don't feel it from anyone else, though." 

So far this season, Williams has set a personal high in the triple-jump [35 ½"], the long-jump [17'9"], high-jump [5'6"], and the 100 high-hurdles [15.3 seconds]. Although she obviously excels at all her events, she's still pining over an unofficial 18'3" mark in the long-jump that didn't count because her back heel was recorded and not the front foot. Still, the 17'6" mark that was recorded wasn't too shabby either.

"That would've been great," Williams said of the almost-record. "But they counted my back heel as the mark, instead of my front, which was 18'3". That would've broken my PR [personal record]."  

Head coach Jackie Zika said despite achieving so much already, the sky is still the limit for the 5'9" Williams. 

"I showed her how to high-jump for just a few minutes before a meet and she cleared 4'6", which was more than any freshman I ever had for a first jump," said Zika, who's in her sixth season. "She didn't have much idea but her height was an immediate draw. I've had girls who were super tall and couldn't do anything but she's very flexible and she just keeps getting better and better."   

Zika has the daunting task of trying to promote her best player, while trying to focus on team goals. Last season Dayton won the states, which was the first time the girls' team ever achieved that. Williams scored 26 of the points, which was more than half.   

The coach marvels at how much Williams puts the team in front of her personal goals.

"We do better at state meets than county, which is weird because you'd think it's harder to win states but Alexa competes in so many state events and earns so many points for us," said Zika. "She could win just one or two events and that'd be fine by me but she does whatever is needed for a team victory…Alexa is just a hard worker and very competitive. Total team player."   

Williams recently showed how dominant she could be in county as well as state competition when she placed first in both the triple-jump and high-jump, as well as second in hurdles in the Union Conference Group 1 tournament earlier this month. Although she dominated the competition, she said high-jump is one event she can get even better. 

"My high [jump] is 5'6" consistently but 5'8" is my goal," she said, noting that when she first started competing in the event she was easily clearing 5'2".   

She's currently undecided about a college but the offers are undoubtedly pouring in daily. She currently ranks in the top-five overall in the state and said she's had interest from Ivy League schools like Yale and Dartmouth and other standouts like Lehigh, UMass-Amherst, Central Connecticut, Muhlenberg, Lafayette, Iowa State, and SUNY-Cortland. While she appreciates all the attention she said she might not be cut out for the Ivy League lifestyle.   

"I don't think I'd do track at an Ivy League school, though, because I don't think I'd fit in," she joked, saying her "average grades" wouldn't cut it.

All jokes aside, however, it's Williams's drive that got her the attention in the first place. 

"I think I'll only get better because I don't think I've reached my peak yet," she said.  

She credits such confidence to not only the hours of practice but also genetics and previous sports she played. 

"I used to be a gymnast and dancer -- 10 years of ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip-hop," Williams said, noting she had to stop due to the time restraints it put on track. "I also played soccer as a freshman and sophomore. All that helped me with flexibility and form. I think track comes naturally because of dance…plus my dad [6'5" wing Peter Williams] played pro basketball in Israel."  

Those factors surely helped Williams get to where she is today but she was also quick to praise her coaching staff – coach Zika and longtime triple- and long-jump coach Joe Cozza.  

"They've been great," she said. "We have such a close team and the coaches stay on us all the time to get better."   

She also added that the coaches' confidence in the athletes allows them to stay loose and focused.   

"They don't allow you to be nervous because it'll get to your head," she said. "You have to be focused. When you're with hard competition you have to go in with confidence because it'll get you much farther than without. There's no time for that."  

Williams may not have time for nerves but frustration is another thing.   

"Triple-jump and hurdles are at the bottom," she said when asked about her favorite events. "I like high-jump and long-jump the most but both are so frustrating because they're such stressful sports. If you let them affect you, you're done, which is why our coaches say ¾ [of success] is being mentally prepared."