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Gaither powerhouse simply enjoys playing

Brianna Williams has more on her mind than just winning matches, which she happened to do a lot of this season.

By SCOTT PURKS

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 24, 2001

TAMPA -- She is 5 feet 2, 96 pounds and hits a tennis ball harder than almost any girl in this town.

Many say if you're smart, you will not hit the ball to the forehand of this little dynamo, Gaither freshman Brianna Williams.

Because she really smokes her forehand.

Unfortunately for most of the No. 1 players at Hillsborough County's public schools, Williams took advantage of her firepower.

By the end of the regular season, she was 13-0. By season's end, she was a Class 4A state semifinalist and a state No. 1 doubles champion with Liz Rodgers.

But none of this seems to have gone to her head. She just grins and shrugs shyly.

"The reason I wanted to play high school tennis was to enjoy it," she said. "I wanted to get to know some new people and play for a team. I thought it would be fun."

This is exactly what Williams' parents, Alan and Kathy, wanted to hear, which might seem strange considering both are tennis pros.

"It's not strange to me," her father said. "It's great that she's involved in team sports and with her school.

"Some people are so focused on improving their games that they think playing high school tennis will slow their improvement. They think they might not get the best competition in high school. But I don't think so. High school is just one part of a tennis player's career. I think it's something that should be enjoyed."

This is not to say Williams isn't working hard almost every day because she is. After school, it's off to the courts to work out with her parents for a couple of hours.

A few nights a week, she will follow up her court time with a couple of hours in the weight room, something she has done for a couple of years.

"I can't say enough about those weights because they've made a big difference in her power," her father said. "She is stronger and has more stamina."

Again, Williams smiles shyly.

"The workouts are painful, and they can hurt," she said. "But I like what it does for me. I can definitely tell the difference when I'm hitting the ball."

The plan is to improve her game during high school and earn a scholarship. At the moment, the professional ranks appear too far out there to talk about.

"The better she gets, the more options she should have for colleges," her father said. "As for turning pro at some point, that is entirely up to her."

"Right now," Williams said. "I'm just enjoying playing and getting better."

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