Williams named sports information director at Richard Bland

Jolisa Williams, a 2008 graduate of Charles City High School, is the new sports information director at Richard Bland Community College.

Photo courtesy of Richard Bland

A former standout athlete from Charles City High School has been named sports information director at Richard Bland Community College.

Jolisa Williams, a 2008 graduate of Charles City, was named to the position on Oct. 13. She becomes the second sports information director for a college that reestablished its athletic program in 2013. Williams’ primary duties will consist of public relations and marketing of sports teams at the college.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for me here at Richard Bland,” said Williams. “I want to bring my knowledge and experience here to expand their brand of athletics.”

Williams spoke highly of her athletic background as a key influence into her new position. She spoke on her years and involvement in recreation and AAU programs and how being successful in them influenced her interest in sports. As a member of the Charles City High School Lady Panthers, Williams became the third player to eclipse the 1,000 point barrier, finishing with 1,608 points in her career and leading the team to its first regional appearance. Williams carried those accolades to St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina where she was a member of the Lady Falcons basketball team and earned an undergrad degree in sports management in 2012.

Williams recently completed her master’s degree in sports management at Virginia State University. While there, she worked as the life skills coordinator, while occupying duties of a sports information director. Now, hard work has landed her the new career at Richard Bland, something she is grateful for.

“I have gained so much respect and passion for the field and I am thankful to continue to be working with sports,” Williams said. “I didn’t know so much was involved with sports until I got to St. Augustine and interned under Anthony Jeffries.

“When I arrived at Virginia State, I was more hands on and got a chance to learn a variety of things that has gotten me this far,” she continued. “Now, I plan to bring more expertise, knowledge, and other things to Richard Bland that they don’t know about.”

Among Williams’ objectives include a community outreach initiative, especially to rural areas similar to her hometown.

“It’s all about networking and creating stable relationships,” Williams added. “I look forward to traveling to places such as Charles City, New Kent, Surry, and Dinwiddie and getting the word out about our program.

“Not many people understand that despite only being a couple years old, we already have a lot of successful programs including our basketball and softball teams,” she added. “Richard Bland is a very strong and competitive Division III school that offers a lot both academically and athletically to students.”

Williams concluded her interview with a simple overview of her journey from Charles City to a position at an emerging college.

“I’m still a small town girl at heart, but I’ve been blessed with opportunities to make a difference.”