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Winnsboro native named head coach at Neville High
The Neville High School baseball program has landed a new head coach and he is no stranger to North Louisiana baseball fans. Joey Williamson, a native of Winnsboro was named the head coach of the Tigers last week after a lengthy search that included 28 applicants who applied for one of the state's top Class 4A positions.
"It feels great to be back in the area where I grew up," Williamson said. "Neville is such a great job. My wife, Jamie, and I have been going around building up my resume so I might have the opportunity to come back to the area and get a good job like Neville."
Williamson, who's father owns Superior Tire in Winnsboro, has spent the last three seasons as head coach of Beau Chene High School. Williamson led the Gators to a 42-47 overall record. Beau Chene qualified for the playoffs in 2009 for the first time in four years.
Williamson starred on the field as a high school player at Winnsboro High School in the mid-1990s.
Williamson made second-team All-State during the 1995 season as well as all-district honors.
His play on the field for legendary coach J.W. Mercer earned him a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Arkansas-Monticello.
Williamson went to Texas after graduation and got his feet wet as an assistant coach in the Lone Star state before returning to Louisiana to coach at Beau Chene. All along the way, Williamson relied on the lessons and values he learned growing up on a farm in Franklin Parish as a road map for success.
"I learned how to be dependable and how to be a genuine, good person," Williamson said. "Those are the important lessons that make me who I am today. I have such a great family that supports me."
At Neville, things are in place for Williamson to also have plenty of good help in molding the Tigers back into state championship contenders in 2011.
"You have to have good players and good assistant coaches," Williamson said. "You have to have assistants that you trust and delagate duties to them that fit their strengths that will make the program stronger."
Williamson feels that the staff at Neville as well as the Booster club made up of current and former parents that support the baseball program will continue to develop into a positive support system that fosters success for the Tigers under his leadership.
Just as important to wins and losses on the baseball field, Williamson is just excited to be back close to friends and family. His brother is a Louisiana State Trooper in Monroe.
"I have two small children (Ty 3, and Taylor 1) and they can be close to their grandparents," Williamson said. "My wife is from Winnsboro so this is like coming home for us. My dad and I like to hunt together and it will be nice not to have to figure out how to get together on Saturday morning and then get back down south for football meetings."
WIlliamson will assist with the freshman football team at Neville this season in addition to his duties with the baseball program.
One fun part of the job for Williamson comes in the spring when he meets former high school teammate Lynn Middleton who is now head coach at Franklin Parish High School.
Neville and FPHS battle each year as part of district 3-4A.
"Lynn is such a great guy," Williamson said. "It will be fun to face those guys each year and it will be good for us to tie it up." |
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