Reebok Top 25 Most Dynamic Athletes: Mustaq'eem Williams

When Mustaq'eem Williams was in elementary school, he wisely started a program that has enabled him to become an elite performer in both football and track.

"When I started football in sixth grade, I'd get up at 5 a.m. and run hills carrying a 50-pound sandbag," Williams told MaxPreps. "I'd have a weighted vest, ankle weights and weighted shoes. It gets heavy, but you kind of get used to the pain. I wanted to get faster and stronger."

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Williams and older brother Michael also loved to stir up dogs and see if they could outrun them.



"They wouldn't bite us, but at a younger age I was scared," he admitted.

All this activity over the years has resulted in speed to burn. The rising senior at Forest Park (Woodbridge, Va.) has run 40 yards in a blazing 4.28 seconds at a football camp. In track he holds four individual outdoor and two indoor school records and last spring won state titles in three individual events.

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Hometown: Woodbridge, Va.

School: Forest Park High School (enrollment 2,300)

Class: 2014

Sports: Football, track and field

College plans: Very interested in LSU and Florida State for both sports. Also being looked at by Virginia, North Carolina and Notre Dame. Offered by Toledo, Western Michigan and Boston College. He's waiting on test scores but wants to major in physical therapy.

Favorite athlete: Usain Bolt. "He really motivates me to run fast," Williams said.



Coach speak: "A lot of people think he's a track kid playing football. Last year as a free safety he took away half of the field. This year he's going to cornerback so we can get him ready for college. When he gets open space (on offense or special teams), there is nobody who can catch him."
- Head football coach David Coccoli{PAGEBREAK}
The Virginia speed demon has displayed great versatility in football, particularly on defense and special teams. In two years he has scored three times on kickoff returns and three times on punt returns. Defensively he has made 57 tackles and eight interceptions. In addition, he has rushed for 285 yards and three touchdowns and caught 15 passes for 283 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

"I love tackling and hitting – the one-on-one," Williams said.

Some his other football highlights that Williams has registered:

* In his first varsity game as a sophomore, he broke two tackles while scoring on a 96-yard interception return.

* In his next two games he scored each time on 100-yard kickoff returns. Opponents quickly quit kicking in his direction.

* In addition to defense and special teams, he also will start at wide receiver and play some running back as a very valuable utility player.{PAGEBREAK}
Williams already was a track star as a freshman. He placed second in the state in the 100-meter dash in 10.81 seconds in the outdoor meet. He lowered his best time in the 100 from 11.2 to 10.6. As a sophomore he added indoor track at the same time he was playing basketball and won the state 55-meter title in 6.38 seconds. He later won the state outdoor crown in 10.42. He then dropped basketball even though it had been his first love and he was a productive player. He dominated the state as a junior with one indoor and three outdoor titles.



Among his other dynamic track bragging rights:

* Holds outdoor school records in the 100 (10.32), 200 (20.97), long jump (24-6) and triple jump (49-1) as well as a share of the 4x100 relay (40.91).

* He holds indoor school records in the 55 (6.38), 300 (33.89) and shares the 4x200 mark (1.28.05).

* As a junior, he dominated the outdoor state meet with championships in the 100, 200 and long jump while also running on the winning 4x100 relay.

* He won the 200 in 20.97 seconds to break the state record that had stood for 12 years. He also anchored the 4x100 relay to a state-record time of 41.08.

* The 400 may be his best event (ran 47.2 in a relay), but he thinks it's too long.



* Won the 100 and 200-meter dashes during the USATF National Junior Olympics in Greensboro, N.C.

Coach speak: "He had a really big year (as a junior) and we hope for bigger things next year. He's very driven and humble. He's one of the harder-working kids I've ever come across. He's always talking about getting better and that's his focus."
- Head track coach Andy Tramel{PAGEBREAK}