Resilience on the Court: Peyton Williams’ Journey from Uncertainty to Starting a New Legacy at DACC
By FRED KRONER
One of the advantages of competitive athletics is that they help a person navigate the ups and downs of life.
The wins are enjoyable and can be celebrated briefly, but the losses provide the opportunity to persevere and bounce back from adversity.
St. Joseph-Ogden senior Peyton Williams was in the perfect position as she ended her high school volleyball career and looked forward to where she would play next.
The moments of disappointment, though frustrating, didn’t mean the end of her battle. It was a lesson she had learned through her years of competition.
“The journey of finding somewhere to play was not easy,” Williams said. “I emailed coach after coach and got no response.
“It was quite discouraging, but my mom (Brandy Neff) told me to continue on.”
The negative responses she received reinforced to Williams that she needed to work harder to achieve her goal.
“My senior year, I really got into it and started making films and emailing more coaches,” she said. “Still, very few responded.
“I was getting upset and began feeling like I wasn’t good enough to play at the next level.”
She thought the tables had turned.
“I got really excited when I began emailing a coach and we set up a visit, but a few days before the visit, he emailed me and told me I was no longer needed and they found someone who they wanted to commit to,” Williams said. “I was so let down and took a break from emailing after that.
“When I finally got into the groove again, I began getting responses and setting up visits. I visited a college three hours away and got a full ride (offer). However, it was too far away from home and I wanted to stay close.”
Williams then made the decision to reach out to Danville Area Community College coach Shawna Jameson and asked if they had any openings.
She received a positive response from a coach with whom she had a background.
“I played with Coach Jameson’s daughter for two years, so I had known her and as soon as I found out that she was restarting this program I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” Williams said.
After months of uncertainty, Williams was certain her search had ended.
“I came in contact with Coach Jameson and things moved quickly,” Williams said. “We had a call, I went for a visit, I got an offer, and decided this was where I was meant to be.”
It was literally boom, boom and BOOM.
“I chose DACC because of the new program,” Williams said. “I am loving the idea of being a part of something new and starting the beginning of a legacy.
“Coach is amazing and the girls I’m going to be playing with are, too.”
One of her future teammates is a former teammate. SJ-O setter Halle Brazelton will also be joining DACC in the fall.
“Having Halle as a teammate for two more years, which will be nine years total, is something that I cannot even describe,” Williams said. “Halle is such a selfless teammate and will do anything needed to help her teammates succeed.
“She is always giving 110 percent and never gives up. She holds herself and others accountable and being able to have her as a teammate is something I would have never dreamed of. I am so excited to continue this journey with my best friend and continue making memories.
“Having Halle there with me to start this program is just so surreal and I am so grateful that she will be with me through every step of the way.”
Williams was a key hitter on SJ-O’s 29-6 team as a senior.
She formed a potent 1-2 offensive threat by powering 278 kills (seven behind team-leader Addie Roesch) and led the Spartans with a 34.0 percent hitting efficiency.
Williams was second on the team with 44 service aces and was one of four squad members to log at least 200 digs, finishing with 203. She also had 15 blocks.
“Peyton is a fearless competitor and leader,” SJ-O head coach Abby McDonald said. “She has been a critical part of our success the last two seasons.
“She stands out for her offensive and defensive abilities. Without her leadership and knowledge of the game, we will have a big void in our program, but we can’t wait to see her succeed at the next level next season.”
Ultimately, Williams heard from five schools and made two other visits before settling on DACC, where she accepted a full scholarship.
She doesn’t want to go through the process again.
“The recruiting process itself was honestly horrible,” Williams said. “I was unprepared and got defeated very quickly when schools didn’t respond.
“However, the process with DACC was easy and just felt right. Nothing felt forced and it was something that I was happy to be doing, not feeling stressed or pressured. The process in general was not what I expected, but the process with DACC was what I was expecting the whole time.”
She had a visit scheduled for Aurora College (which was the school that decided they wanted someone else) and Highland Community College. Williams was in contact with Joliet Community College and Illinois State University.
Highland and Joliet also made scholarship offers.
There was only one drawback to those schools, Williams calling them “amazing” and adding, “I loved all of the girls, however, it was a bit too far away from home.”
Location was a primary factor in her final decision.
“I definitely think that staying close to home will make the transition a LOT easier,” he said. “I am super close with my family, especially my mom, and being able to slowly transition without having to abruptly move out is something that I think will make becoming a college student with low funds way easier.
“As college students, there are a lot of other things to worry about that aren’t paying for a dorm or food, and I think it’s good that I will slowly be able to move out without feeling rushed.
“I am so thankful for this opportunity to play at the next level and I am super-excited to begin this new journey and be a part of a brand new program and meet so many amazing people.”
Williams is currently involved in club ball with Prime Time – and has been since her sixth-grade year – a program where Jameson serves as one of the coaches.
As such, Williams cannot sign her letter of intent until the club season ends next month and Jameson is prohibited by NJCAA rules about commenting on her recruit until that time.
Williams can’t wait to get started at DACC.
“I see myself fitting in really well with a lot of the girls,” she said. “I am very outgoing and love making new friends and getting to know people, so I think this season we are going to have a lot of fun as a team.
“Coach Jameson is one of my coaches at the club, so we have worked together on some specific areas already such as not broad jumping while doing my approach and jumping straight up to get more power behind the ball.
“I think I can continue to grow and improve in a lot of ways. I want to play defense in college as well as hitting, so I believe that I can continue working on my defense and serve to improve my abilities to be able to play backrow and front row.”
Williams will enter DACC without declaring a major. She is torn about her career path.
“I have two major options that are complete opposites of each other,” he said. “One of my major options is Construction Management and my second option is Elementary Education.
“I have also considered going into Engineering as an option for myself. I love kids and being able to watch them learn and grow, which is why education is one of my options.
“However, I am very hands-on and love construction as well as managing, so that is also a perfect idea. I decided that since I’m not quite sure yet that I would finish my first year and hopefully by Year 2 I will be able to know what I want to do.”
As for the future, Williams added, “in 10 years, I see myself with a good job that I love waking up for everyday and a family with a bunch of kids. Job-wise, I can either see myself being a teacher or working at a construction company as a manager.”
Over the years, Williams has participated in multiple activities ranging from dance to gymnastics to cheer to basketball and to softball.
“Playing those sports just made me come to a conclusion that volleyball was my top tier and what I wanted to put all of my time towards,” Williams said. “There was never a time that I favored a different sport besides volleyball.
“Volleyball has always been my No. 1, and what I wanted to pursue in the next few years.”
She enjoyed watching it even before she began playing as a fifth-grader.
“My mom was the one who encouraged me to start playing,” Williams said. “After attending my own school’s high school volleyball games to attending the University of Illinois volleyball games, I knew that this was something I was going to love.
“When I first began, I wouldn’t say I was the best, but I wasn’t the worst. There were definitely things that I needed to work on and things that I was already good at. What I loved about the sport is that you had to work with your team to be successful. One person can’t do it on their own and this is something that I really valued in the sport.”
Various coaches have provided Williams with instruction and helped her hone and refine her skills.
“Prime Time has taught me many things about volleyball, as well as things about myself,” she said. “However, the main person who I think has been my key to development is myself. I have ALWAYS held myself to super high standards and have always encouraged myself to give all that I have and never give up.
“Even through the days I have had trouble wanting to go to practice, I have always told myself to keep going and work hard every time I set foot in the gym.
“Every time I mess up, I try and work through it with myself before asking a coach, because I know I can do it and I know that I know how to do it.”
She likes the dynamics of the sport.
“To me, the appeal of volleyball is that it takes multiple people to succeed and not just one singular person, and that there is always something new to learn,” Williams said. “I love the fact that for a team to be successful everyone has to put in effort and work together to achieve goals.”
Communication is one of the areas that Williams considers a strength.
“I am super loud and energetic, so being able to communicate with my teammates is something I always try to do,” she said. “Whether it is telling them what spots are open or to run something different that will help us to score, I am always communicating and I think that is something that I take pride in.
“Skillwise, something else I see as my strengths are being able to see the court and see what is open before I swing or tip. Being able to adjust and mix up shots is something very useful and I think that is something I do well at.”
DACC last fielded a volleyball team in the fall of 2015.
