School athletic programs require a lot of organization and work from several individuals in various positions. After Athletic Director (AD) Mark Ott retired after the 2023-24 school year, Fauquier High School was uncertain about who would fill the position.
So when Cornell Williams, a Warrenton resident of 7 years, heard about the opening, he excitedly applied. “…I chose to come to Fauquier because I wanted to work in the same community that I lived in.” Williams isn’t a stranger when it comes to sports or working as an authority figure in the department. In high school, Williams was a 3-sport athlete, competing in football, wrestling and baseball. He even continued to play Division III Football for two years before unfortunately suffering a neck injury. On the administrative side, he’s worked with Fairfax County Public Schools at George C. Marshall High School as an Assistant AD for the past 15 years.
Recently, fall sports have been competing well and Williams can’t wait to see them continue, commenting, “… cheer has a couple competitions, cross country is going to be doing a lot of running, golf is already halfway through their season, and of course, football is exciting too.” Though being an AD isn’t an easy job, Williams doesn’t see it as a downside, “there is a lot of day-to-day monotony in my job, but the most exciting part of my job is in the afternoon when I get to go out and see people perform on the field.”
Williams also encourages incoming freshmen to get involved, even if they haven’t played a sport before. “I would tell Freshmen to get involved, to pick something that they think they’re going to like, and understand that sometimes it’s hard to be a Freshman, it’s hard to start.” He continues, “You may not get as much playing time as the older kids do, but it’s important to stick with it because it’ll pay off, and as they get through their high school career they’re going to see the benefits of them sticking with the activity that they chose.” Williams is excited to see where each student goes in their sport, and thrilled for the rest of not only the fall season but the upcoming winter and spring seasons as well.
