Jan. 30, 2008
by Tom Borrelli, Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
Year after year it was should have, could have, might have.
The same routine was getting old for Shawn Williams.
"Putting all the pieces together and finally being able to do it was very rewarding," the Rochester Knighthawks forward said of last season's National Lacrosse League championship. "Every year before that, people said we should win it, we thought we should have won it, but we didn't win it. Finally getting to that level and just doing it was absolutely awesome."
Unlike many of his teammates, Williams had tasted a title very early in his pro indoor career.
The Toronto Rock won the first of their five championships in 1999, in Williams' second season in the league. But he was traded to the Buffalo Bandits, where he spent the next two years, and then to Rochester as part of a blockbuster, seven-player deal that included 2006 NLL Most Valuable Player Steve Dietrich, now the starting goaltender for the Calgary Roughnecks.
"You come in and you think you're going to do it every single year," said the 33-year-old Williams, who began this season ranked eighth on the NLL career scoring list (fifth among active players) and now has 305 goals, 368 assists and 673 points in 147 games spanning 11 seasons. "But you just keep plugging away. I'd probably have been more upset if we hadn't been right there every April and competing for the title. As long as you give yourselves a chance to win it, that's the key."
Last year's Knighthawks were one of the most special teams in NLL history. They scored 249 goals, 42 more than anybody else, and won their last 15 games. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Williams was the only Knighthawk to record a point in all 16 regular season games. Williams' consistency carried over into the 2007 NLL playoffs with a team-high-tying 19 postseason points.
Though Rochester has lost its last three after opening its defense with a win over Buffalo, Williams has six goals and a team-high 16 assists through four games.
"We got that confidence going that we could outscore anybody," Williams said. "Everyone knew everyone was clicking, and we were all having career years. It was so much fun being an offensive guy on that team. You win them any way you can, but winning them with so much offense made it even better for me."
To those who simply scan the statistics, Williams' accomplishments often get lost in the glare of superstar teammate John Grant Jr., who led the league in scoring with 111 points (20 more than Williams) and was the league's most valuable player in both the regular season and championship game.
But if you're looking for petty jealousies, forget it.
"At this point, I think [Grant] is definitely the best player in the world, and he's a pleasure to play with," said Williams, who is the varsity lacrosse coach and junior varsity football and basketball coach at Wilson High School in Durham, Ontario. "I'm proud to see him get all those accolades and to be a part of it. I like to think I had a little hand in that. He's not just a great goal scorer, but a great shooter as well."
Williams' game has plenty of its own strong points. He's always been dynamite on the power play, has a knack for scoring important goals and because of his coaching experience, is a natural leader who also serves as an alternate captain.
He's reliable, having scored at least 72 points in each of his last seven seasons, and durable. Williams has dressed in 124 consecutive games dating back to the 2000 season.
"He's a good team guy and one of the smartest guys on the floor that I've ever seen play," said 21-year-old teammate Shawn Evans, an emerging star in his third NLL season. "He can score goals and if he can see you, he'll know where you are and find you. He's a smart player who really brings the team together. He's a very positive influence on all the boys."
And he's a hard-working example of why NLL players should never take success for granted.
"The fact you won last year, all that means is that your name is on the trophy from last year," said Knighthawks head coach Ed Comeau. "It buys you nothing and Willie knows that. He's talked about that a lot with our guys, about being focused and ready to win again.
"He's absolutely such a steadying influence for us. So many guys have peaks and valleys, but Willie always maintains his composure and never gets too excited. When one shift ends, he leaves it all behind and worries about the next one. Guys like that rub off on other guys."
Tom Borrelli is a sports writer for The Buffalo News and a regular contributor to Lacrosse Magazine and Lacrosse Magazine Online. In 2007, Borrelli became the first media member honored by the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame. He has covered the NLL for 16 years.
For more on the NLL and from Borrelli, check back to LMO each Wednesday throughout the 2008 season, or contact Borrelli at tbwrite@aol.com.
