Allison Sparks Williams was fresh off her sophomore season in which she had earned 2011 USA South All-Conference First Team honors and all-state accolades. Yet, it was a conversation in a one-on-one meeting with Averett University volleyball head coach Danny Miller soon after that would help Williams realize how great of a player she could potentially become and give her the mindset of setting and achieving long-term goals.

“At one point, we were talking and she asked, ‘Do you think I could ever be an All-American?” Miller recalled. “I said, ‘Absolutely, but it’s going to take a lot more effort than what you’re putting into it. Right now, you’re getting away with your natural abilities and you need to work harder and be better.’”

Williams said becoming an All-America selection ultimately became her long-term goal moving forward through the rest of her career, but it was never her main focus. Instead, she started setting smaller goals to achieve, which would help her reach the long-term ones.

“I would think of my goal every now and then but then I would quickly remind myself that I needed to complete smaller goals,” Williams said. “My daily mind was set to work hard and push myself day by day, step by step, practice by practice, practice drill by practice drill, strength and conditioning rep/set by rep/set, game by game — even down to point by point. I believe achieving those smaller goals are what excelled my athletic game and helped drive me toward my long-term goal. Even when some days the goal was to be able to still stand up at the end of practice.”

Although Williams admits there were days where she didn’t achieve the small goals, she is glad that she did reach them the majority of the time because they became the building blocks to her long-term success. Williams’ hard work the next two seasons paid off and her dream became reality following her senior season. The outside hitter was selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Third Team in 2013 while also being named the USA South Conference Player of the Year, Virginia Sports Information Directors Co-Player of the Year and the 2013-14 female recipient of the USA South’s prestigious Don Scalf award, which honors the top student-athlete in the conference.

In addition to those major awards, Williams finished her four-year career as a three-time all-conference and all-state selection and a four-time USA South Academic All-Conference recipient to cement her status among the top volleyball student-athletes to come through a storied program. Williams will join an even more elite group when she is inducted into the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 19.

“I used to think being an All-American was my greatest accomplishment at Averett, but I think now this trumps that a little bit,” Williams said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be in the hall of fame at my alma mater. Not too many people can say that. I think this is probably the icing on the cake.”

Oddly enough given all her success, Williams didn’t move to the outside hitter position until her freshman season at Averett. The native of nearby Ruffin, North Carolina, had played middle hitter all throughout her travel ball and high school career. The plan was to continue playing middle alongside her twin sister Sarah when they both arrived at Averett in 2010. However, Miller moved Williams to outside during the season.

“I was trying to play middle as a collegiate athlete and I felt I was just as slow as molasses,” Williams recalled. “I felt like I had cement feet and couldn’t get to the block in time.”

However, Miller said he made the position change to utilize Williams’ skills.

“She was a very good middle … and could have been a very good middle,” he said. “She probably still would have been potentially an All-American. But I think what I saw was her ability to play six rotations, pass and play defense. She did well with it.”

Williams said her freshman season was a learning experience filled with rookie mistakes, but she used them to learn and get better.

“From my sophomore year on, I really began growing and maturing as a player,” she said.

Williams finished her career with 1,621 kills for an average of 3.67 kills per set. She also averaged 2.43 digs a set with 133 total blocks and 149 service aces over 442 sets played in 143 career matches. She also helped the Cougars win the USA South North Division championship her senior year.

“I think what I miss the most and what I cherished the most were all the memories with my teammates throughout the four years,” Williams said. “Every year was different, but there are memories there and bonds with girls who I still keep in contact with even though I may not see them every day.”

Williams is thankful that she found a home at Averett and made the most of her opportunities.

“I’m grateful to have been able to come to Averett,” Williams said. “It’s a great school. You can be a big fish in a little pond here. If you work hard and apply yourself, you can achieve big goals here.”

Williams realizes her journey to All-America status on the court has paid off now in her career as a third-grade teacher at nearby Brosville Elementary School.

“When I did accomplish that dream and that goal, it was the best feeling in the world knowing that I had set a goal, I worked toward that goal and I achieved the goal,” she said. “Just being able to be successful helped prepare me for my future career of teaching. I've actually set personal and professional goals for myself that require me to continue to work hard in my profession. These goals are set in the future and I haven't quite yet achieved these goals yet. However, I hope one day that I will be able to cross those goals off as well.”