Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis L. Williams.
Hi Travis, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in South Georgia (Tifton, GA) and grew up in a single family household without a father in my life. My mother Patricia Ann Williams passed away at the untimely age of 30 years old to lupus.
I was only 12 years old at the time, certainly a mama’s boy and remember that dreadful and sad day on Saturday, February 23, 1985 at 516 Maple Street like it was yesterday!
After my mother’s passing, I was raised by my GOD-fearing and loving grandmother, Willie Bell Williams, and a host of aunts Jackie Bacon, Geraldine Prince, and Willie Mae Farley, and cousins that poured into me and my siblings Bernard and Jennifer Williams.,
Losing my mother was a very difficult moment in my life, especially not having a father figure in my life. However, my mother and grandmother exposed me to GOD and my faith at an early age…going to church every Sunday at Shiloh Baptist Church was non-negotiable and a must in her house.
As a child, during the time that we had with her, mom had us dressed and going to church every week and instilled those values early in my life because those were the same values my grandmother instilled in her life.
I saw a bible in mom’s hand every day and always saw her reading it…
This set the foundation for who I am today as a GOD-fearing, Christian, loving, caring, protective, giving, and present husband and father, and will always give GOD the honest honor and praise.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was definitely not a smooth road, and the biggest obstacle and challenge were my mother’s passing at an early age.
On top of that, I did not have a father figure in my life to teach me about manhood, provide love, protect, guide me, my brother, and sister, etc.
I grew up in a low-income housing community and struggled financially throughout my life…welfare, food stamps, government assistance, etc…you name it – I experienced it…
I was juggled from family to family growing up as a young boy and then during my high school days.
I was not exposed to a life outside of Tifton, Georgia; going on vacations did not exist during my upbringing.
I did not experience life until I got older and went off to college.
My high school basketball coaches Tommy Blackshear and Erick Willis are two of the most important men in my life until this day and showed me love…believed in me, poured into me, and made sure that I was going to college, etc.)
These two coaches are one of the main reasons that I got into coaching and their impact on my life.
OTHER OBSTACLES/CHALLENGES
I played basketball growing up in Tifton to keep me out of trouble and off the tough streets and found refuge on the basketball courts, especially Puckett Park growing up. (This park holds significant value in my life, and I still go back home and do community outreach engagement and initiatives here through my Travis L. Williams Foundation and Patricia’s Blessed Closet)
However, no one in my immediate family ever saw me play college basketball basketball at Georgia State University.
That was one of the toughest moments in my life to walk out of a locker room on numerous occasions and not have any family members in attendance to watch me play.
It was one of the worst moments in my life. There were plenty times that I would cry on the way home to my apartment after our games to know that my mom was not here to witness her baby boy and to make matters worse, not having a father figure in my life.
OTHER OBSTACLES/CHALLENGES
I was never exposed to college growing up because no one in my family attended college.
I went off to college at Georgia State University on a full basketball scholarship and graduated with two degrees, Bachelor’s of Business Administration in 1995 and Master’s of Science Degree in Sports Administration in 1999.
However, I continued to stay faithful to GOD and use my mother’s passing as a reason to become successful and as example to my nephews, niece, cousins, family members and friends that you can attend college as well, regardless of your circumstances, economic background, etc.
OTHER OBSTACLES/CHALLENGES
Later, during my assistant coaching days at Chicago State, my grandmother’s passing shook me to the core because she loved me unconditionally and set the foundation of love in my heart, soul, and spirit, and showed the power of a praying Grandmother and was always the solid rock for our entire family.
OTHER OBSTACLES/CHALLENGES
I had 17 successful years of coaching and experienced everything imaginable in the coaching fraternity that I love including recruiting, scouting, overseeing academics, attending player’s graduations…the good and ugly side of the coaching business as a former head coach, associate head coach, and assistant coach…the highs of winning and lows of losing, getting hired, winning conference regulars season and tournament championships, cutting down nets, NCAA, NIT, CIT Tournament Berths, getting championship rings, recognition, honors, and so on…and on the underside with the unimaginable feeling of getting fired, numerous coaching and staff changes, moving to different states, cities, and not having a job or financial security to provide for my family.
That’s the nature of the coaching business as a former NCAA Division I & II head coach at two prestigious HBCUs, Tennessee State & Fort Valley State University, Georgia State University, Mercer, Chicago State, Internationally in China, semi-pro in World Basketball Association (WBA), to high school coach at Maynard H. Jackson HS in Atlanta,
However, I have learned so much from those experiences, and it has made me the person I am today and thankful to GOD for a life of faith, service, and perseverance to do what I am doing now and the outstanding relationships that I have with my former players to this day and all our 2022 & 2023 HBCU All-Stars Alum.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our vision is providing E.A.R. and O.R.R. for our very hard-working, talented, ambitious, and deserving students, student-athletes & brilliant coaches at the most distinguished and prestigious Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) across the country.
*EXPOSURE
*ACCESS
*RECOGNITION
*OPPORTUNITIES
*RESOURCES
*RESULTS
Williams founded this GOD-driven company in October 2019 with his wife Kya Williams, CFO & Co-Founder and launched “The First Ever and second annual HBCU All-Star Game” featuring 24 of the nation’s best HBCU student-athletes and ancillary experiences during the 2022 and 2023 Men’s Basketball National Championship Tournament in New Orleans and Houston during Final Four Weekend. Also, he launched the first and second ATL Has Something to Say HBCU All-Stars Challenge in 2022 and 2023 at Morehouse College Forbes Arena, featuring some of the most talented players and teams from our four premier Black College Conferences MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, and SIAC. In September, Coach Williams hosted the first-ever HBCU All-Stars Coaches Clinic to shine a national spotlight on some of our most talented HBCU coaches in the business.
He has been the head men’s basketball coach at two prestigious HBCUs, Tennessee State and Fort Valley State Universities with over 23 successful years of playing and coaching on the NCAA Division I & II levels and numerous conference tournament championships and NCAA & NIT Tournament berths. Williams coached eight years at HBCUs and has both academic and athletic consulting experience in both public and private colleges and universities. Williams graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 1995 and a Master’s in Sports Administration in 1999.
Over 30 of Williams’ former players made the “All-Conference Academics Team or Dean’s List”. He has coached over 25 All-Conference and Region Players, more than 25 ALL-Tourney Team Players, 4 All-American Team Players, and over 45 of his former players have played professionally in the NBA, G-league, WBA (World Basketball Association) semi-pro, and internationally overseas.
Over 60% of his 2022 & 2023 HBCU All-Stars Alums are currently playing professionally in the NBA G-league, internationally overseas, and living out their goals, dreams, and aspirations of playing professionally after participating in the historic 2022 & 2023 HBCU All-Star Games in New Orleans and Houston during Final Four Weekend.
HBCU ALL-STARS WORK CONTINUED…
HBCU ALL-STARS LLC IS ON THE PRECIPICE ONCE AGAIN OF ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING GREATER FOR OUR HBCUs, HBCU PRESIDENTS, UNIVERSITY & ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATORS, ADs & ATHLETICS STAFF, COACHES, PLAYERS, ALUMS, KEY STAKEHOLDERS, ALUMS, BOOSTERS, FANS, & SUPPORTERS IN LESS THAN 100 DAYS AT GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY!
My wife and I have been on a GOD-DRIVEN MISSION since we founded and launched HBCU All-Stars LLC, a Black-owned sports marketing, events, and media company, in October 2019 headquartered in the great city of Atlanta. We are making sure our proud, prestigious, tradition-rich HBCUs, hardworking, talented, ambitious, and very deserving students, student-athletes, and brilliant coaches from the four premier NCAA Division I & II Black college conferences, MEAC, SWAC, CIAA, SIAC, and Independent teams Tennessee State, Hampton, North Carolina A&T State Universities continue receiving the much needed and long overdue “Exposure, Access, Recognition, Opportunities, Resources, Results” they deserve at the highest level of college basketball across the country through our company, brand, and vision.
This is VERY IMPORTANT to the HBCU All-Stars Basketball Movement that we will always pay homage and respect to our past HBCU basketball greats and 2022 and 2023 HBCU All-Stars Alums who have paved the way on the courts with their truly remarkable collegiate, NBA, G-league, International playing careers, as well as those legendary and current HBCU coaches roaming the coaching sidelines, to where we are now presently with 65 of the nation’s top players on our watch list waiting for their names to be called for the third annual 2024 HBCU All-Star Game in less than 100 days.
This unbelievable HBCU All-Stars and CBS Sports platform will showcase 24 of the nation’s best HBCU players and their knowledge, skills, accomplishments on Sunday, April 7, 2024 during Final Four and College Basketball’s Biggest Weekend at Grand Canyon University on the beautiful and breathtaking campus in Phoenix. The future 2025 and 2026 HBCU All-Stars are awaiting their turn to carry the torch for years to come.
Our game-changing partnership with CBS Sports, Grand Canyon University, and some outstanding sponsors during the third annual HBCU All-Star in Phoenix will help us continue amplifying Black Excellence, Black History, and Black Cultural experiences that have too often been overlooked! HBCU All-Stars LLC will honor the illustrious playing careers of Alvin Attles Jr, North Carolina A&T State University (CIAA), John Chaney, Bethune-Cookman University (SIAC), Leonard Eugene “Truck” Robinson, Tennessee State University (Independent), Robert Earl “Bob “Love, Southern University (SWAC), Zelmo “Big Z” Beaty, Prairie View A&M University (SWAC). All of these amazing HBCU legends made their mark in this great game of basketball and reached the highest level of success in the NBA.
The HBCU experience is far more than a basketball game and not just about basketball! HBCU All-Stars LLC will stage the HBCU All-Star Game Experience, a week-long festival that will kick off the week on Tuesday, April 2 and conclude the following Tuesday after the Championship game (April 9). In addition, we are also planning cultural experiences associated with the NCAA, NABC, fan fest, and convention center. We will have a college admissions fair, HBCU All-Stars Pro Day Combine, awards ceremony and luncheon, financial literacy seminar, media training, career transition, interview prep, empowerment workshop for local middle/high school student-athletes, mental and physical health boot camp, social justice and civil rights panel discussion, recognition ceremony for legendary coaches and players, basketball court dedication throughout the Phoenix community, and much more.
The HBCU All-Star Game Day Experience Festival will have a big-time homecoming atmosphere…tailgating, great food, barbeque, food trucks, live music, DJs, mini-concerts, vendors, battle of the bands, dance & cheer competition, Divine 9, Greeks competition & stroll-offs, kids zone, face-painting, bounce house, activities, games, and much more leading up to the game.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My success revolves around my faith, family, life of service, love for people, impact, and changing the world through our GOD-driven vision, sports marketing, events, and media company.
My wife and I will continue doing what we have done in this space for HBCUs. We genuinely and truly care and will keep making a difference in the world by celebrating Black Excellence, Black History, and Black Cultural Experiences through our HBCU All-Stars events, HBCU All-Star Game Experience, and HBCU All-Stars Basketball Movement that has too long been overlooked.
It is very important for us to keep shining this national and global spotlight on our HBCUs, university and athletics administrations, students, student-athletes, coaches, alums, key stakeholders, and supporters by working hard and fighting for our HBCU culture.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.HBCUAllStarGame.com
- Instagram: HBCUAllStarGame
- Facebook: HBCUAllStarGame
- Linkedin: Travis Williams
- Twitter: HBCUAllStarGame
- Youtube: HBCUAllStarGame
