After going 1-8 in 2017, Williston Red Devils football is flourishing under new coach Robby Pruitt – an outstanding Hall-of-Famer who boasts multiple state championship victories across Florida and Georgia as a result.
Williston athletes demonstrate dedication and pride for their school in every sport they compete in. From basketball and softball to swimming and track and field events, their athletes show they care deeply for Williston High.
Coach Pruitt
Williston residents have welcomed Coach Pruitt and his team with open arms, eagerly awaiting to see this football program flourish. Pruitt has won everywhere he’s been before and believes he can return Williston High School football to its former glory days.
Pruitt is highly respected among his players on and off the field, making a profound, impactful statement about him to their community. For example, they’ve helped finance new locker room and weight room facilities for them, and community members have even provided meals after practices! As running back/outside linebacker Jace McDonald put it: “People give you clothes off their back.”
Pruitt has consistently created winning programs at each school he has served, and his competitive spirit can be seen through in his coaching style. He demands much from his players and doesn’t shy away from showing them the ropes when necessary – yet still manages to inspire his team members and get them fired up before games!
Williston may be a small high school, but its students are highly committed to sports. Working hard toward an exceptional education, Williston students take great pride in both academic and athletic achievements, with world-renowned athletic programs that foster teamwork and discipline among their student body.
Williston offers its residents access to high school athletic teams and facilities that allow athletes to develop their skills for state competitions. Furthermore, each high school in Williston boasts modern equipment in support of athletic programs.
Williston Middle High School Red Devils, under Coach Pruitt, have experienced remarkable improvement this season. Under his tutelage, the team is playing its best football yet while receiving full community support.
Jeremy Pruitt began his coaching career at Plainview High School, where he served as both defensive backs coach and coordinator between 1998 and 2000. Later, he served as an assistant coach for Alabama, where he played defensive back before moving on to Tennessee State and Florida State.
Middle School Team
Coach Pruitt and his staff have taken some excellent steps to begin rebuilding Williston’s program. With years of coaching experience and winning wherever he has gone, he believes Williston can become a mighty football powerhouse capable of contending for state titles in years to come. Incorporating middle school teams will help build future varsity players for next season, and introducing year-round strength training will bring many advantages to young students.
Last season, Williston struggled to maintain a winning record and averaged about 30 fans per home game, but this season is already off to an impressive start with eight wins already secured and fan enthusiasm high for home matches.
Williston football team will compete in Class 1R-Region 4 this year with an array of talented players. Bo MacCormack stands to be a key asset, drawing attention from opposing defenses with his running ability. Sam Kelley and Vince Snoonian will provide offensive weapons for Williston, while safety AJ Azuakolam, as well as linebackers Carter Shaw and Nate Bodden, should experience breakout seasons on defense for the Red Devils.
Coach Pruitt has played a large part in helping unleash young talent this year by employing his Wing-T offense, which allows multiple players to run at once and can be difficult for opposing defenses to anticipate. On Monday night’s win against Newberry, junior running back Jharez Williams scored three rushing touchdowns while quarterback Shooby Coleman and Kyree Edwards contributed two additional scores each.
Williston is a tight-knit town that takes great pride in football. Locals have welcomed Coach Pruitt and his team with open arms, eager for them to grow the program here in this small town. Yancey knows first-hand just how much support there is for Coach Pruitt’s team from her community; she thinks football can serve as an integral way of uniting people together.
Weight Room
A weight room can play a vital role in the success of any high school football team. Players use it to gain strength and speed for competitions or games; it also promotes team building by helping members develop camaraderie within their group. Coaches should make sure their players learn proper techniques and safety rules when using equipment properly.
Williston residents have demonstrated remarkable support for its football program, helping build the spirit of its team, increase morale, and compete more fiercely. Through fundraising efforts, residents are helping ensure the team has everything necessary for its success – an action that has dramatically strengthened team spirit while strengthening morale overall.
Not only has the team received significant community support this season, but it also has much potential going into it. Matt DeGennaro, a postgraduate student and possessor of impressive arm strength, will lead the team’s offense this season. Furthermore, there are multiple senior captains, such as Brandyn Jones, Noah Clack, and Alex Thibault, all with experience playing college football, who could help lead this effort forward.
The team hopes to engage more children with football through its middle school program, which is showing signs of progress with each practice and is eagerly anticipated by students who cannot wait until its debut game!
Williston football’s senior members are eager to see what this year has in store. They anticipate playing under the lights at Suffield Academy again and are confident they will do well this time around.
New Hanover County Schools and Wilmington have come together to organize a Legacy Graduation ceremony for the classes of 1969 and 1970 at Williston Middle School gymnasium on Friday, August 3rd – giving many a second chance after missing their chance more than half a century ago. This Legacy Graduation provides them with an opportunity to finally graduate from their beloved high schools they loved so much back then. It will serve as an opportunity to mend any wounds caused by the sudden board decisions of 1968 when many graduates found out their enrollment wasn’t allowed into these high schools they loved so dearly!
Community Support
The Williston community has shown its appreciation for Coach Pruitt’s efforts to restore an effective football program at Williston High School. Donations were even provided so he could construct a weight room for the team – which Coach Pruitt believes will play a pivotal role in its success.
Williston’s community is an intimate and vibrant one that welcomes its students. With its longstanding tradition of academic excellence and culture that recognizes each child as an individual, Williston values the holistic development of its students – this includes encouraging athletic participation to foster teamwork and foster pride in representing the school.
This season, the Red Devils have gone undefeated at 10-0, which marks an improvement from their average attendance last season, which averaged 30 fans per game. They are confident about this year and feel that it will be successful, with plenty of momentum behind them, and are looking forward to competing in the playoffs.
Yancey notes that Williston residents have shown overwhelming support for this new program since its inception, as evidenced by their desire for their team’s success. According to him, team performance will serve as an indicator of strength within the Williston community as a whole and also create a stronger sense of camaraderie throughout town.
As part of their efforts to support local athletes, a community held a cake sale to raise funds for a new weight room for their team. This will provide significant advantages for students as they get into shape for games more quickly and improve overall academic performance. Furthermore, support was offered in other ways, including school supplies assistance, so that students could focus more on their studies and enhance their academic performance.
Just Neighbors nonprofit charters a bus each summer to transport low-income children from Williston to Realife Florida Youth Camp free of charge. The organization honors Mary Sue Harris, a local barrel racer who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Mary worked tirelessly with horses until the disease claimed her life, so her family set up this foundation in her name in order to continue her legacy and keep Just Neighbors’ mission alive.