On The Mat With Joe Williams
12/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 1, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Joe Williams is starting for the Spartans at 184 pounds in his redshirt freshman year. The Orange, Calif., native is currently 5-1 on the young season with a tournament victory at the Muskegon Open and a second place finish at the MSU Open. Williams was a Greco-Roman Cadet National Champion and a first team Academic All-American at Calvary Chapel High School. In his first year of official competition for the Green and White, he looks to make a name for himself throughout both the Big Ten and the nation.
What are your personal goals for this season?
"I want to finish the year with a winning record, not be taken down anymore this season, win a Big Ten title, and place at the NCAA Tournament."
What was the hardest thing about moving from California to Michigan?
"It was probably moving away from my family for the first time, especially my dad, who is my biggest wrestling influence. Not having that support, with my brothers and my whole family network is tough, but the transition here was pretty smooth. I have my older brother Conan here, and my dad comes and visits as much as he can; plus, we stay in touch on the phone quite a bit."
How has being on the team with your older brother Conan helped your wrestling and transition to college?
"Conan and I have always been really close. We have always lived together, either in the same room or the same house for our whole lives. Additionally, we share many of the same goals and like many of the same things. It is definitely nice always having him here so he can push me and I can push him when we are not staying on task."
What is the most exciting thing about being able to wrestle in Big Ten dual competition this year?
"It is almost like a dream come true. It is going to be a lot of excitement. The best wrestlers in the country are going to be in the Big Ten Conference. I can't tell you how excited I am to step out there every match and know that the person I am wrestling is probably going to be an All-American. That opportunity, along with being an underdog in many situations is going to pump me up and make me hungrier for victories."
You have wrestled Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Scholastic. What is your favorite style and why?
"Probably Scholastic, just because I practice it the most. The other two styles were kind of a high school thing. I learned Greco-Roman basically so I would be able to defend against the head throw better. I like to wrestle a solid, control-oriented match. In freestyle, you have to take a lot of risks. In collegiate, if someone scores points on you, he has earned them, and when you scored points you know that you have earned them."
Who are you most looking forward to squaring off against this year?
"My senior year in high school, I was ranked behind Roger Kish of Lapeer, Mich. (now at Minnesota) the whole season and I never got the opportunity to wrestle him. Kish is one of the top guys this year, and when I get the chance to wrestle him, it will be trying to complete a goal I didn't get the chance at in high school, beating the top guy."
What did you work on most in the summer, and continue to work on for the grind of the season in January and February?
"What I worked on the most was just being relentless on my opponent. Many people who see my matches know I have a lot more work to do there. I just have to always be on the offensive and never stop my attack."
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