Tarika Williams--From Underdog To Champion
April 11, 2012
In ninth grade, Tarika Williams lined up on the track to run 200 meters. In Jamaica, where Williams was born and went to school, people follow track and field religiously, and there was a lot of cheering from the onlookers. But there was none for her. When the announcer called her name, it was silent. Most of the support was directed toward her teammate, who was believed to be the fastest high school track and field athlete at the time.
“Everybody knew she was going to win,” Williams said. “No one was really looking for me to do anything. I stepped up very confident.”
The end result? Williams placed third out of eight people, competing in a race that she barely qualified for and racing against athletes that were older than her. Her confidence started building.
Fast-forward to today. Williams is one of the most talented athletes on the University of Miami track and field team, winning the 200-meter event with a time of 23.27 seconds and placing fourth in the 60-meter event at the 2011 ACC Indoor Championships.
Despite her success today, Williams has always looked at herself as an underdog. This underdog story stretches all the way back to when she was just four years old, when she first started to run competitively.
“As kids, we would all race in the streets,” Williams said. “In kindergarten, we would have our sports day and I was just the smallest person, but I was really the fastest one.”
Facing a number of personal challenges in Jamaica, it was difficult for Williams to put in the time to become an elite sprinter. She acknowledges that she had a low work ethic until a coach at a junior college in St. Louis, Missouri, took a chance on her, giving her a scholarship and accepting her into his program. This was the start of her transformation, going from an underachieving track athlete to one of the best young Jamaican sprinters.
“I was working real hard to make his program look good, to make myself look good, and to prove to everybody that I can do this,” Williams said.
The University of Miami was the next step in her shift toward becoming a more complete athlete. Amy Deem, head coach of the men’s and women’s track and field teams at the University of Miami, remembers getting off to a rough start with Williams.
“I knew she was talented, and I’m really hard on people that are talented but don’t have a great work ethic,” Deem said.
Deem recalls that they would often be on different pages and that miscommunication would lead to misunderstandings between the two. But as Williams continued to buy into the UM program, she became more and more successful. Today, coach Deem recognizes Tarika as a hard-worker and a positive role model for the younger ladies on the team.
Williams’ ambition and confidence helps her to compete at a high level in the NCAA, setting goals for herself when she first came to UM.
“I wanted to stamp my name all over the program before I left,” Williams said. “When I stepped onto the track, I was hungry. Every day.”
Jovanee Jarrett, a Jamaican professional long jumper, has served as a mentor to Williams since 2009 and talks to her before almost all of her track meets. Jarett believes that Williams’ attitude paired with her athleticism gives her the skill set necessary to make the ultra-competitive Jamaican Olympic team.
“She’s humble, she’s hard working, she listens and takes advice,” Jarrett said.
Even though she has the image of being humble, having incredible confidence has played an important role in Williams’ transformation. By constantly reminding herself that she is going to get on the track and outperform other runners, Williams is able to mentally prepare for a race and perform at a high level.
What’s next for the top-notch UM athlete? She has her sights set on becoming a national champion and making the Jamaican Olympic team, but, perhaps more important, to “let everyone know who I am.”
Williams has come a long way. Through her evolution as an athlete, she has become one of the most competitive sprinters in the NCAA. And from being the ninth grader who received no applause when she was announced, she has definitely let a lot more people know who she is.
By Bolton Lancaster
