SPOTLIGHT: Patience Paying Off

It's amazing the impact patience can have.

We want results, and we want those results immediately. It's the same in sports. Athletes want playing time. Many times, in fact, they feel entitled to playing time. If they don't play enough, simply giving up or transferring becomes the choice.

Sometimes, though, a bit of patience pays off in a big way. Just ask Danni Williams. The junior paid her dues and put in the time to earn her opportunity. The talent was always there, but a combination of hard work, patience, persistence, and a strong support system helped her to where she is. It led to a starting spot and helped her become one of the faces of the women's basketball program at Texas A&M.

Williams' freshman year was filled with highs and lows. On the bright side, she was able to learn from tremendous players like Courtney Walker, the school's all-time leading scorer. She also appeared in 32 games, gaining much-needed experience.   

However, Williams had the hope and expectation to play more, contribute more and excel immediately. Appearing in 32 games was fine, but her minutes and stats were not what she hoped for. She started just one game and totaled 99 points on the season, an average of 3.1 points per game.
 

That wasn't ok for the fiery competitor Williams is. Williams was a five-star recruit, an athlete who always excelled in a variety of sports, including a highly successful motocross career. Williams wanted and expected more.      

"My freshman year was definitely hard since I came in expecting to play a lot," remarked Williams. "I wasn't happy with sitting on the bench."

Coach Blair certainly understood the frustration, and the staff hoped for Williams to get more playing time. The way the season played out simply didn't allow for that to happen.   

"We couldn't take Courtney (Walker) off the floor that year because we had so many close games," remarked Blair. "Because of that, Danni didn't get as much playing time as she would've liked or as much as we wanted to get her."

From there, it was up to Williams to decide how she would respond. That was the challenge she had to face, and she responded by using her freshman campaign as a launching point and opportunity to grow.  

"I know I was impatient at times," noted Williams. "Looking back, though, I used a lot of what I learned as a freshman. I picked up bits and pieces from my teammates that year. I'm proud, because I had to work for it, and it became obvious to me that I was meant to be here."

Williams did have to work for it. Nobody understands that more than Coach Blair, who raves about the work ethic and approach Williams took to improve her game after her freshman season.

"Danni has come a long way," stated Blair. "She had to suffer through that freshman year and then not doubt herself. She worked incredibly hard over the next summer. By the time her sophomore year rolled around, she had developed a toughness about her that you have to have to play this game."
 

The numbers tell you all you need to know. Most notably, she went from 3.1 points per game as a freshman to 16.6 per game as a sophomore. Sure, there were many more starts and minutes as a sophomore, but you can't ignore the incredible increase in success and efficiency.

It takes a lot of talent to see that kind of increase in production, but this went well beyond talent for Williams. Coach Blair again pointed to the outstanding attitude and work ethic that Williams displayed, and he sees Williams as a role model for other players.  

"We need to remember our values and what got us to the place," added Blair. "It's called work ethic, and Danni has great work ethic. She's in the gym probably more than any other kid on the team, and that's probably why she's the best shooter on our team."

Attitude, hard work and work ethic were mentioned several times by both Coach Blair and Danni, and it's not hard to see where Williams gets those values from.

This is where the support system comes into play. A huge part of that support system is Williams' two biggest fans, her parents.

You'll typically see Regan and Michelle Williams in the stands at Reed Arena. They make the 8-hour drive from New Mexico to College Station with no questions asked and no excuses made. Even when Danni wasn't playing much as a freshman, her parents were there.

"It's not fair for us to ask her to put that kind of commitment in if we're not willing to do the same," Regan said. "We love it. We love watching her play, and we are very proud of her. It wears us out by the end of the season, but we love every minute of it."

Danni's freshman season was tough on her parents, as well. They knew the lack of playing time was hard for their daughter to deal with, but they helped Danni to see the big picture through the frustration.

"We took a step back with her and looked at what was waiting for her here," added Regan. "We looked at the academic opportunities, as well. We both felt like this was the place she was supposed to be."

In terms of advice, Michelle says the message was pretty simple.  

"It's all about effort and attitude," said Michelle. "Those are the things you can control."

Danni certainly followed the advice, and her response is something her parents are incredibly proud of.

"She was patient and learned a lot," Regan remarked. "We knew the opportunity would be there if she stuck around, and she did. She got in the gym, and she worked hard. Her coaches helped her a lot, and the work has paid off."

Success has continued for Williams, as she is enjoying another successful year as a junior. Williams has started every contest so far this season, averaging 14 points per game. Regan and Michelle have again been there for most of those games. The continued support of her two biggest fans is something that Danni doesn't take for granted.

"It really means the world to me," Williams stated. "I love seeing them in the stands, knowing they drove eight hours to see me play a game. They'd do that every single day if that's what it took. It keeps me going, knowing I have that kind of support from them. They have supported me through my hard times and good times. I don't know how to put it into words how thankful and lucky I am to have parents who do that for me."

A recent road game at Texas Tech brought an even bigger support group for Williams, as a large number of family and friends from Clovis came to root on Danni and the Aggies. Williams put on a show for those in attendance, scoring 14 points and drilling four 3's in a 90-56 A&M win.

"It was very heartwarming to me to see how much the community supports her and how much they wanted to be there for her," remarked Michelle. "We were very touched by all of that."
 

It's safe to say that Williams is happy with her decision to come to A&M.

"It's a cool experience," Danni stated. "Outside of basketball, I didn't know what to expect when I got here. With the people and culture here, it's just an incredible place to be."

Danni's parents echoed the thoughts about Texas A&M and Aggie Women's Basketball.

"We really felt like it was that 'home' environment," noted Michelle. "Over the past few years, the parents of the other players were very welcoming and made it feel like a family. We've tried to do the same thing with the new parents this year. It's a cultural experience here, and it's been awesome."

"It's just a great place," added Regan. "All you have to do is look at the community. Everywhere you go, it's A&M. We really believe in the Aggie Network."

Things have changed drastically for Williams over the past few years. From being mostly a spectator as a freshman to being a team leader, it has all prepared No. 12 to continue her journey on and off the court. There are new challenges awaiting…new teammates, opponents trying to shut her down, etc. With her work ethic, talent and support system, Coach Blair expects continued great things moving forward.

"Now she can concentrate on taking the next step to be a complete player," concluded Blair. "She can be even better defensively, add more rebounds and get to the foul line more often. Consistency from long range is important, too, and it's coming along. When she gets rolling, people nationally are going to realize who Danni Williams is. She was a national motocross champion. What she can be is a national champion here at Texas A&M."