Theysay, ‘you can’t go home again,’ but that’s exactly what former UTSA basketball player Lloyd Williams hopes to do. After Williams played basketball for UTSAfor four years, he was hired as an assistant coach at the university.

Throughouthis career, Williams has coached in Texas, Oklahoma and South Dakota, but hisgoal was to return to his alma mater.

Williams’love of basketball started at a young age. “I was in first grade when I startedto play basketball,” said Williams. “It’s been a part of my life every singleday since then. I don’t know what I would do without it because I’m verypassionate about this game.”

Evenwhen he began to play, Williams showed promise as a player. As a first grader,his dad insisted that Williams play for the third grade team. Despite thecoach’s initial doubt, Williams held his own against players two-years- olderand significantly taller than him.

Williams’talent took him to UTSA where he started for the basketball team all fouryears. From 1996 through 2000, Williams set team records in assists with 536and steals with 237; he also helped the Roadrunners secure the teams first everSouthland Conference title.

“I’vealways played an up-tempo style game. That’s how I feel basketball should beplayed: defensively aggressive, man to man,” said Williams. His aggressivestyle earned him a spot as an assistant coach at UTSA after graduation.

Duringhis time as a coach, Williams has moved across state borders four times: from

Texasto Oklahoma, back to Texas, back to Oklahoma, then to South Dakota where he isthe assistant coach at the University of South Dakota. “[Moving] seems to bethe nature of the business,” said Williams of his coaching career. “There’sbeen a lot of movement for me, but I’ve had the chance to meet and work withsome great coaches along the way.”

Sinceleaving UTSA, Williams has coached at Rogers State University in Okla. where hewas an assistant and later a head. During his time at the university, Williamshelped the team to a 30-1 record for the season and a number one ranking in thenation.

“Itwas by far the greatest accomplishment of my coaching career. It was somethingI can’t explain and such an amazing time. I sometimes get overwhelmed thinkingabout it,” said Williams.

However,even with an accomplishment like that under his belt, Williams still has dreamsfor his future.

“My goal is still to one day come back and be the headcoach at UTSA and take them to the national championship,” said Williams.“Nothing against Coach Thompson, he is doing a great job, I just don’t thinkthat there would be anything sweeter than coaching at UTSA.” Williams hascoached twice at UTSA since graduation, both times as an assistant coach; butwith his winning experience as a coach and his history at UTSA, it might epossible to make his dreams a reality.