Gary WIlliams’ interview

1. What sport did you play, what years? Provide info about your sport (coaches, position, team size, etc)

       -  “Football, 1976 – 1979

       -  Offensive Center, long-snapper for punts, field goals and extra-points

       -  Dennis Raarup-head coach, Moose Malmquist-offensive line coach

       -  Total team size approx. 80”

2.  Daily routine – practices, how they worked, length, - games, traveling

       -  “Monday – light stretch and jog to loosen up previous game’s aches, film and game plan for upcoming opponent, no equipment.

       -  Tues., Weds, Thurs. - work practices to get ready for upcoming game, full pads.

       -  Friday – light practice, game day walk-thru, helmets and shoulder pads only.

       -  Saturday – GAME DAY!! GO GUSTIES!!!

       -  Sunday – evening film meeting to break down previous day’s game”

       -  “Practices usually 2 hours in length but I usually stayed an extra hour to work with kickers and holder.  Started 3:30 and finished up around 6:30-7 pm.  Usually just made it to the caf before it closed for dinner!”

       -  “Game Day -  home games would start with team breakfast 8:30 am, to the field house around 10:30 to dress, Special teams out on the field about 11, full team out for warm-ups 11:45, back to locker room 12:30, game time 1 pm.  Away games would have earlier breakfast as buses would leave 9 – 10 depending where we were playing.”

3.  Why GAC for your sport?

       -  “My career plans were always to enter the field of dentistry and GAC had a good reputation of getting their students accepted into dental school.  Also, my high school coach played for Denny Raarup when he coached in Wisconsin before coming to GAC.  A couple of other influential high school teachers had played at GAC and encouraged me to go there.  They knew me well enough to know that I could excel both academic and athletically there.”

      -  “Division 3 athletics appealed to me with the right perspectives of education and athletics.  I played two sports at GAC (baseball as well) and never would have had that opportunity at a bigger school.  For football I was able to excel at a size and weight that just would not have been possible at a bigger program.”

4.  Fun facts, stories

       -  “Our senior year we were raked in the top Division 3 schools.  We led the nation in offensive statistics.  We did not win the conference that year but we did beat St. Johns on our homecoming game – definitely a highlight!”

       - “ My junior year we played a game in Mexico City, Mexico against a team from Texas as part of a cultural exchange experience.  We were supposed to play the game at the Olympic Stadium where the Summer Olympics were held.  Due to a last minute scheduling conflict the game was moved to an old bull-fighting stadium that had been converted to a soccer field.  October is Mexico City’s rainy season and on game day it poured!  The field was sub-ground level and with the amount of rain the field was actually under water.  The officials had to hold the ball down in between plays so it wouldn’t float away.  When I would snap the ball I would gently hold it on top of the water so I could get it off quickly.  The muddy dirt that got into all of our uniforms and equipment stayed with us the rest of the season!  Never was able to wash it out.”

       -  “The next season we hosted a club team from Mexico that had watched us play the previous year.  They were not very big or experienced.  They were just learning the game of football.  I think us starters played only two or three series scoring at will.  After half-time us starters stayed on the practice field and ran conditioning drills to get some work in while the second and third string players played.  I think we managed to keep the score down to around 65-12.  It was weird hearing the signals barked out in Spanish!  But what was the most fun was after the game we took all of the Mexican team down to the bar and made good friends over some beers!!”

5.  Embarrassing moments, other things to share

       -  “Division 3 athletics allowed me to excel in the classroom and on the field – remember I mentioned having the right perspectives and balance. I was selected as a small college Academic All-American my senior year. At a size that shouldn’t have been playing the offensive line I was named All-conference my senior year.  These accomplishments helped mold me as the person that I am today!”