Elliot Golan
A red muscle shirt leaves her arm, littered with cuts and bruises from the game she loves, exposed.
A white lace-up brace covers her left ankle, which she injured earlier in the year in practice, causing her to miss two games. Both loses.
Sophomore point guard Tess Williams’ style of play leaves her bruised, but it hasn’t stopped her. She leads the Pierce women’s basketball team in points and is second in assists.
The games she missed this season were the first of her career.
“I’m a bitch when it comes to injury,” said Williams laughing.
Playing basketball since age six, Williams had never been injured before.
“It cost us two games,” said head coach Jim Couch, referring to Williams’ absence. “When she’s out, we’re a different team.”
Off the court, Williams identifies herself as an artistic person.
She is a full-time student, taking 15 units. She is majoring in creative writing and loves to sing and play guitar.
Williams spoke very highly of an open-mic event that takes place at Fairfax High School weekly.
“I write about love a lot … a lot … a lot,” she repeated, looking at the sky and smiling.
Teammate and fellow captain Jessica LogoLogo, who calls Williams her sister, also shares music with her.
LogoLogo spoke of a song “Move On” that her and Williams wrote together.
“It’s about ups and downs,” said LogoLogo.
The two even performed a song together at an open-mic event at Pierce last spring, according to LogoLogo.
Though Williams has her softer side, LogoLogo also attested to her competitiveness.
“We always rely on her,” said LogoLogo. “When she gets hot, there is no stopping her.”
Williams’ coaches are also aware.
“She always wants to be in the gym,” said Assistant Coach Ralph Wesson.
A self-described “gym-rat,” Williams is proud of her physical achievements.
“I have some guns on me,” she said laughing as she brought her arms up and flexed.
However, her passion for the game can come off as arrogant.
“She wants to do everything her way,” said Wesson.
Echoing his assistants sentiment, Couch believes attending Pierce was a great decision for her development.
Couch said she arrived as a self-centered, headstrong player. He said she could have played elsewhere, but that Pierce would help her develop as a person and player.
“She’s grown a lot since she came to Pierce,” said Couch.
Sports runs in Williams’ family.
Her father, Will Williams, played football at Iowa State University and her mother, Laura Williams, qualified for the 1984 Olympics in gymnastics. Williams said her mother did not compete however, because she got pregnant with her oldest sister.
One of four children, Williams said her parents have always been her biggest fans.
She proudly spoke of how her mother never misses a game, home or away.
Having attended nearby Chatsworth High School, Williams is used to winning. Her team made it to regional playoff her senior year.
After finishing her freshman season at Pierce with a 23 – 10 record, which included a playoff birth, the basketball team is curre
ntly 13 – 15 this season with only one game remaining. More games were played last season as a result of a longer preseason and their one playoff game.
The team will not make the playoffs this year, meaning Williams’ final game for the Brahmas will be at home tomorrow at 5 p.m. against Alan Hancock.
Williams has signed a letter of intent to play next year for Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu.
“I fell in love with the coach,” said Williams. “I fell in love with the team. I fell in love with the island.”
Williams said that they offered her a $22,000 scholarship to play there, leaving her only the cost of books to be concerned with. Williams said she will turn to financial aid for that.
Recent questions have arisen about her commitment to the school.
According to Williams and her coaches, the University of San Diego has been asking questions about her. Though no offer has been made as of yet, Couch thinks the proximity of the school will make her change her decision.
Williams acknowledged the allure of San Diego in comparison to Hawaii.
“Only bad part is I can’t drive home,” she said jokingly about being on an island. “I just want to play basketball.”
Tess Williams (center) drives through defenders in the first half against Moorpark Feb, 3. (Louie Heredia / Roundup)
