SAC
SPORTS
PLAYER PROFILE
K
eenan Williams is
making up for lost time. He enrolled at SAC this fall and tried
Placed in a group home to sign-up to play baseball, but because
as a teenager, Williams of age restrictions, he wasn’t allowed.
says he grew up in a strict lockdown Williams has since carved out a new life
environment -- limited phone calls on a as a student-athlete, attending class most
payphone, quick showers, lights out early. days and practicing 15 hours a week with
He wasn’t encouraged to play sports, the football team.
much less attend college.
Walk-on looks
to make his
dream come true
6
el Don Santa Ana College · October 29, 2018
Head coach Adam Nyssen praised
“I was in a system at the time where Williams for his eff orts, despite Williams
we didn’t get to really participate in any having no real background in organized
extracurricular activities,” he says. “After tackle football and not yet seeing the fi eld
high school, I spent the fi rst two-to-three during conference play.
years partying, trying to be an actor and
41 YEAR-OLD
ROOKIE
the father of three said.
“Williams is a very hard worker, a great
musician since my group home didn’t teammate and supporter and knows he’ll
allow us to explore and try new things.” see the fi eld once we get him going in the
Now 41 years old, Williams is trying system and learning the fundamentals of
his next new thing: community college
football. Intently focused on a dream of
contact football,” Nyssen says.
Despite a heavy learning curve, Williams
one day playing in the NFL, Williams is remains positive and is grateful to be in
in his fi rst year as a full-time student and the position he is today, getting advice
wide receiver for the Dons. He is older from Los Angeles Chargers players
than most of his teammates by at least and taking to his Instagram account to
two decades. show off his progress. His motivational
Williams played some baseball and golf
messages hinge on the belief that no
as a child, but decided he wanted to give matter your age, you can still achieve
football a shot after attending the funeral anything if your heart and mind are in the
of a former co-worker. There, he noticed right place.
a bucket list of everything his co-worker
“I’m starving to get on that fi eld,” he says.
tried to accomplish before his passing “I’m being patient and it’s not up to me,
and was inspired to create his own. but the best thing I can do is wait for the
“I want to try to accomplish as much as
possible while I still have the chance too,”
opportunity to present itself and control
STORY
NATHAN JACOBO
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
JORDY ESPINOZA
Williams is not
your average
football player
“I’m starving to get on
that fi eld. I’m being pa-
tient and it’s not up to
me, but the best thing
I can do is wait for the
opportunity to present
itself and control what
only I can control.”
Keenan Williams
Dons wide receiver
what only I can control.”
el Don Santa Ana College · October 29, 2018
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