GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — At a time when women's sports are booming in popularity, it's fitting to celebrate the trailblazers who made that popularity possible. At Grand Rapids Catholic Central, those trailblazers include Pat Williams. When she was a girl, there were no girls sports at school. But with the passage of Title IX, that changed, and Williams got a front row seat to what happened next.
"They were looking to fill all the spots for girls coaches, and somebody got my name, and I got a call, and I said, 'Yes.' I was very excited that the girls got to play in high school," she said.
For Williams, coaching tennis was a natural fit.
"I just love to hit the ball. I have always liked to hit the ball. My parents started me when I was very young - very, very young. And around seventh grade, I just decided I wanted to get better at it. I just like to play. I like to play a lot of sports, but tennis is my favorite," she said.
Williams was honored on Wednesday night for 50 years of coaching the Cougars on the tennis court. Dozens of her players were there to celebrate her.
"I know two players from my very first team are coming back, and I know at least three from the first team that played here at the [Catholic Central Athletic Complex] are coming, one of which is my daughter," she said.
"I think it's very nice. It's not something I needed, but it's exciting. I'm just happy they're gonna come, and I'm happy that they like tennis still - that it was important to them to play on the team."
Some of the players span multiple generations. Right now Williams is coaching the son and daughter of a woman who used to play for her. She has also has a girl playing as a freshman whose dad was on the boys team in the 1980s. Williams has eight children of her own and all of them played for her over the span of 25 years.
"Last year I went to the state tournament, and one of my former players was coaching against me. And another time I went over to Kenowa Hills and there was another one. So several of them have been coaching against me and that's a big honor that they wanted to be a coach," she said.
So when is Coach Williams going to hang up her racket? That's a question for which we still don't have an answer.
"I have a good freshman group right now, so I don't feel like quitting right now, and I've been lucky to be healthy, even though it's been a long time. I've been very lucky with my health," she said.
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