UBC’s football team has made huge strides thanks to Shomari Williams, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, in the last few years.
Since joining the team in 2019, the Brampton, Ontario native has put continued support and dedication into coaching the Thunderbirds. This season, all his hard work paid off.
In November 2022, the Thunderbirds found themselves in the Canada West championship game for the first time in four years. While getting his team on the championship field was no easy feat, Williams knows this is exactly where his players belong.
“I always preach to my guys, ‘You’re out there for a reason. You’re supposed to be out there. I believe in you, and you have to perform to the level I know you guys can.’”
In the locker room, Williams often uses this kind of positive reinforcement. His coaching style aims to build his players’ confidence alongside their technical skill.
“Believing in my players more than they believe in themselves is the most challenging part of the job but also the most rewarding,” said Williams. “I want these kids to see their potential and become the people I know they are.”
Thunderbirds Defensive Coordinator Patrick Tracey had only positive things to say about his colleague’s coaching.
“He’s dynamic,” said Tracey. “He has all the attributes to be successful. He’s approachable, passionate about the game and invested in his players. He’s all in.”
Tracey first met Williams in the mid-2000s. The seasoned coach, who started his coaching career in 1987, recruited Williams in high school but didn’t get the opportunity to train him until he was completing his graduate degree in business at Queen’s University.
With Williams’ tremendous skill on the field and Tracey’s guidance, Queen’s University won the Vanier cup — the Canadian university football championship — in 2009.
Now, the pair coach UBC’s Thunderbirds side by side.
Before coaching with Tracey and tackling the T-Birds into shape, Williams played in the Canadian Football League for six seasons. He was drafted first overall in 2010 by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“I can’t describe how it felt,” said Williams. “It felt good that somebody believed in me enough to think I was worthy of the first overall pick. All the work, sacrifices and the things I did to get to that point were validated and came together.”
Williams was a Roughrider for four years and played one season with each of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders.
After Williams retired from the CFL, he went back to Queen’s to start his coaching career. Completing another year as a Queen’s Golden Gael, he moved out west to be closer to his now spouse.
“You do good things for the people you love. Sometimes you even travel across the country,” said Williams.
It wasn’t just his partner who was happy about his move to the West Coast. Defensive lineman and UBC business student Kaishaun Carter credited much of his success to his coach.
“He’s a player’s coach. He knows how to connect with us and truly cares about how we’re doing on and off the field,” said Carter in a phone interview. “He’s a competitor and teacher at heart, for sure.”
Williams recruited Carter from St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby, BC, and has motivated him to be a better person and team player.
“There was an expectation from the beginning that he would push me to become the best version of myself.”
After starting Top Prospects — a platform dedicated to helping high schoolers get athletic scholarships — Williams has had a similar impact on many student-athletes.
Top Prospects touched down in 2010 and has connected approximately 500 students with universities across Canada.
“Football has given me so much in my life, and I always wanted to give it back to others,” said Williams. “I’m super proud of what I accomplished with the business and the amount of kids I helped. It’s cool now ‘cause I see some of the kids on my website playing professional football.”
Williams’ devotion to student athletes, his team and this sport is unmistakable.
As he wrapped up his interview, Williams laughed, “Make sure to write ‘Go T-Birds’ in the article, and I think we’ll be good.”