The most valuable lesson Jonathan Williams, 2003 Apollo High School graduate, learned in high school was to give back. Although a shining star on the basketball court, Williams had little direction where he wanted to go in life. It was his basketball coach, Dean Kesler, who guided him and helped put meaning in his life.
“For me, personally, when I came to St. Cloud … I didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted out of life,” shares Williams. “Having mentors step up … like Dean Kesler, was impactful in my life. He was like a father figure to me. During a time where my uncle traveled a lot for work, Dean’s door was always open. He really helped me navigate colleges … the 30 plus college offers. He was fully invested in my future.”
After graduation, Williams attended a year at Notre Dame Prep, an all-boys school focusing on basketball for high-level athletes and academics. He then went on to attend the University of Minnesota where he played with the Minnesota Gophers for five years.
“I played through the good, bad and the ugly,” says Williams. “It was a great time at the University of Minnesota. I graduated with a degree in history – American Indian studies focus.”
Williams went on to play professional basketball overseas, competing in Uruguay and Brazil. He retired after his first child was born.
Though he left professional basketball, his passion for the sport never left him.
“After coming back [to the United States], I started a non-profit program with my best friend, who also went to Apollo, Brett Carmichael,” reflects Williams. “We both had the same idea of helping kids. We went on to put several kids in college. Then, I just moved over to a program called D1 Minnesota where Adidas sponsors a youth basketball program. We normally get the top tier kids from North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota. It’s the same thing. We are just competing at a higher level.”
With D1 Minnesota, Williams grooms students to become Division 1 collegiate athletes.
“I think a lot of people look at athletes today – that they just live this lavish life of luxury and playing college sports,” says Williams. “But what they don’t realize is the demand that it takes an athlete – getting up at five in the morning … practice, go to class, then go lift weights, then back to class and then another practice. There is extensive travel, and to be a student, it’s tough.”
While supporting student athletes with his non-profit work, he bounced around in his career and ultimately entered the education field. Five years ago, he became the dean of students for Robbinsdale Area Schools which later led him back home to St. Cloud as the dean of students for Apollo and then in transportation with St. Cloud Area School District.
It felt like the right place to be – back in the hallways of Apollo High School remembering what it felt like to be one of those students. He wanted to give Apollo students the same kind of positive direction he received from Kesler years earlier.
“He gave me a path and showed me how I can use basketball to better my life,” shares Williams. “It ultimately led me back to help kids because I once was one of those kids who walked through the hallways not sure what they wanted to do with their life. Just willing to work with kids through the ups and downs, it was something I just always wanted to do – to give back. I was the product of a snap of the finger and your life can change.”
Currently, Williams works for Forward Move as the director of critical communication. The company serves schools across the country to help with crisis management.
One thing will never change as he continues his career. He wants to be a mentor to kids.
“I will continue to give back,” says Williams. “I can’t stress enough how impactful Dean Kesler was in my life. The biggest thing I took from him was that what he told me, ‘When you have the opportunity to give back, just give back.’ You don’t always have to give back with money. You can give back with time. Kids today don’t always have mentors or people they know that have actually been in the shoes of where they actually want to go.”
He hopes along the way that he’s taught to today’s students the same lesson he learned so long ago .
Fun Facts:
- Williams loves to watch his children play sports. He loves that he can just be a dad on the sidelines watching them grow.
- He loves to live for every day and is always appreciative.
- Williams’ stepson plays college basketball.
- Dean Kesler is still a current physical education teacher in St. Cloud Area School District.
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