Everyone has dreams of making it to the “big time.” But not everyone who dreams achieves, and not everyone who achieves uses their win to support the place from which they came. But that’s not the case with former professional football player Roland Williams. Drafted to the NFL in 1998, the Rochester native has gone where very few locals have. While professional football was where he ended up, Williams’ ultimate goal was to simply be the best- at whatever he did.
“Ironically, going to the NFL wasn’t my goal as a kid. I simply tried to give my best effort at everything I did. Whether working at McDonalds, shoveling the sidewalk to working in the classroom, I did my absolute best. The rest took care of itself,” he said.
But there is more to the former pro-baller than what meets the eye. While he has tossed aside the football gear, he is still tackling other issues and scoring in other arenas. He has spent the last eight years commentating television sports, working with ESPN, NBC Sports and CBS College Sports. When his attention isn’t on the field, Williams spends his time traveling the country coaching and speaking. He is also a writer and poet. The single father of three boys still has an edge about him – not just in sports, but in life.
“Each day, I choose to see my life as abundant, plentiful and worthy of praise, no matter the situation. During my football career, whether I had a good game or not, I was the guy who took pride in always find something to be grateful for and celebrated. In my life after football, I make a point to start each day in heavy gratitude and prayer. I believe it’s critical that even on our toughest day, we stay mindful there is always someone who has more challenges than you,” he said.
Williams’ life has come to be defined by his passion for youth and philanthropic ventures. To his respect, Williams returned to Rochester for several summers after the end of his NFL career offering a camp designed to mentor and develop inner-city young men in sports and discipline. It is this passion that has earned him multiple awards of recognition, including the Oakland Raiders Man of the Year Award and the Press Radio Club Athlete of the Year Award.
“I strongly believe… that to whom much is given, much is required [Luke 12:48]. Whether we are blessed with talents of wealth, knowledge, time or any other gift, it is expected that we do our best to use them to glorify God and benefit others. My charitable efforts are simply a reflection of my opportunity,” he said.
After several successful years of youth programs and mentorship, the Roland Williams train is still rolling full-steam ahead. After a brief hiatus from the Rochester area, Williams returned in the summer of 2014 with The Champion Academy. The two-week summer launch brought in over 400 middle school and high school students from across the Rochester area. It was an opportunity for both participants and Williams to change the plight of city youth.
“Young black and Latino boys in upstate New York are in crises. Gang participation, violent crimes, drug usage and incarceration are all on the rise. Recent reports have also shown that the Rochester City School District has the lowest graduation rates of black and Latino boys in America. [I was] inspired to do something substantial to help….to help them succeed,” he said.
Williams’ efforts were almost stopped dead in their tracks. Questions arose from members of Rochester City Council about the expense and the corresponding efficacy of the program. Critics came down on both Williams and Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren for introducing the program on such short notice, asking for city funding just a month before the academy was scheduled to launch. In the end, City Council refused to pay for it. However the turn of events didn’t deter Williams. He still has hope for the future of his program in Rochester.
“Mayor Warren and Superintendent [Bolgen] Vargas are both strong supporters of the Champion Academy and its effort to help young males succeed. They both graciously made appearances at our summer program and have both made personal efforts to secure funding for this program. It’s a great start. I remain faithful that the [Rochester] school board and City Council will find value in this innovative program and its ability to help make Rochester better,” he said. Meanwhile, Williams continues on with his vision for the Champion Academy in Rochester through other means of financing. The summer launch was a great success, but Williams’ vision goes way beyond two weeks of summer. The academy is designed for an entire year with what Williams calls “a combination of mentorship, technology, entertainment, mental performance training, sports participation, community engagement and celebrity participation” to meet the needs of each individual youth. It also seeks to offer answers and solutions to questions posed by current events, such as the recent violence in Ferguson, Missouri triggered by the shooting death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown.
“The Champion Academy [plans to] provide a rare opportunity for police officers and other authority figures to engage students in a positive and neutral environment to promote mutual understanding and conversation 
before something negative happens. [We’re] at the front lines looking to teach acceptance, teamwork and mental courage to young men and authority figures,” Williams said.
Williams didn’t learn the plight of inner-city youth by reading a book or taking a class. He spent time traveling to schools and communities, talking and interacting with young people from all walks of life. From all those he has met, Williams has learned the key to saving young people across the nation.
“Of the hundreds of students I talked to, a few major themes keep coming up that I believe are the keys to turning things around. These young men communicated a strong need for authenticity, encouragement, guidance, empowerment, consistency and discipline. After finding that more than half of young black and Latino males in Rochester also live in fatherless homes, it’s clear these young men are in need of father figures; mentors who can help them discover their value, instill hope and navigate through the obstacles standing in between them and their dreams,” he said.
Overall, it is Williams’ desires for young men to know a different life. He wants to see core spiritual principles- faith, courage, honesty, discipline, teamwork and perseverance- living and breathing again in the lives of the young. His message to youth is simple.
“When I started playing high school football in the 9th grade, I wasn’t that good. Actually, I was pretty terrible. People laughed at me, said I would never be a good player. During my years playing football, there were plenty of tough days, bad plays. [and] horrible moments. Sometimes it seemed that all my hard work was never going to pay off. But I never stopped believing. Neither should they,” he said.
To donate or learn more about The Champion Academy, visit www.helprochesterboys.org.
Brenden Hobbs
