The junior track runner DaNeal Williams has accomplished a lot in his track career, so I’ve asked him about how he managed to prepare himself for meets, balance sports and schoolwork, and what expectations he has for this season.
Off the track, Williams is a health science major who wants to become a physical trainer in the near future. One of his biggest inspirations is his dad, as he has taught him so much about health and the sport he loves in track and field.
Williams is very focused on his goals and schoolwork, spending multiple hours studying, taking notes, and joining study sections. But when wanting to take a break from track and school, he enjoys playing video games with friends, watching the Brooklyn Nets, and spending time with his girlfriend. When asked how he balances being a student-athlete with having free time, he says, “It’s always good to take a break once in a while, having people around me who help me relax is great for balancing out work, sports, and personal time.”
This year is an exciting time for Williams, as he can finally run in the outdoor season this season. With COVID-19 appearing his first year, he missed the chance to run outdoor once students moved home early for the second semester.
This issue overshadowed his sophomore year as well; when asked about running outdoor, he said, “I’m excited for running outdoor for the first time in my college career; my first two years were disappointing because we had half a season.” With the season still going, he’s been focused on keeping his condition right to perform to the best of his ability.
Williams expects his team to have a great season and win the championship. He wants to win a MAC championship in either his 200 or 400 races for his personal goal. “I want to make the best of my time here at Eastern, and doing that with my teammates will be amazing,” Williams said.