Chrishunda Williams was a four-year starter in basketball at Strong. Thanks to COVID-19, her senior season wasn’t her best.
The Lady Bulldogs’ season sputtered with games canceled and practices missed. The senior team’s numbers dipped to just six players. At the end of the season, Strong’s district tournament was canceled.
Williams’ basketball season was hit-and-miss but, academically, she maintained consistent excellence. She was the senior class valedictorian with a 3.81 grade point average.
“My basketball season was a different experience this year,” Williams said. “Many people could not come to the games. The players had to sit somewhere different from everyone else, and we had to get our temperature checked at the door. I think we had to reschedule at least five different games due to COVID. It was very difficult because we would practice some things just for a specific team we were going to play against but when we found out we were not going to play them we just looked on the bright side and kept practicing the same things because every team was kind of the same.”
The 6-foot post will have an opportunity to play again after signing with South Arkansas Community College. A dominant rebounder throughout her career, Williams showed intangibles for the Lady Bulldogs.
“She was a leader on and off the court,” said Strong coach Jason Porter. “She was taking college courses along with her senior classes.”
Williams said she plans to study nursing. She listed her career goals as earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Registered Nursing.
“I want to become a traveling nurse,” she said. “After I get my associate's, I cannot decide where I want to go to obtain my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing.”
With her height and athletic ability, basketball was always a natural option for Williams. It was never her only priority, however.
“Academics are extremely important to me,” she explained. “You can set an example for someone that does not think academics are important and trust me, they are, and also because I grew up in a household that my mom wouldn’t accept C's because she knew what I was capable of and she pushed me to be the best I can be academically and athletically.”
Williams capped her senior season by giving the valedictorian speech at her graduation. She admitted to being quite nervous. In the end, it was just another layer to a topsy-turvy senior year. The start of the school year was delayed. Students wore masks, had to stay six feet apart with some parents electing to do virtual learning while others did traditional. Games were canceled. Others were rescheduled. The postseason was lost.
Through it all, Williams emerged as the head of her class, stepping boldly toward a bright future.
“What I would like to say about my academic career is I hope that I could be a role model to many younger kids,” she said. “I also want them to know that with hard work, anything is possible.”