Alcovy’s wrestling program is set to go in a new direction with the announcement of Emmanuel Williams as the team’s new head coach.

The Tigers made the announcement of the coaching hire during the offseason.

Williams previously served as the head wrestling coach at Stone Mountain High School, where he met and learned from coach Jerome Tillery — who has a vast knowledge of wrestling experience.

It is experience that Williams hopes to use to bring Alcovy wrestling back to the top.

“I coached at Stone Mountain [high school] for four years, between 2017 and 2021. I had a great opportunity to work with coach Tillery, who should be coming with me to Alcovy. When I first asked, It was like, ‘OK, we will see,’” Williams said. “Dr. [Kristopher] Williams was really supportive and was like, ‘OK well, just let me know what you think,’ After talking with my wife and my son, who is a wrestler at Eastside, I decided to take it as an opportunity to build the program back up. Alcovy's wrestling team is a storied team that has a huge legacy. I am honored to come on staff here and work to build up the program.”

Along with learning from Jerome, Williams also worked with Ramon Tillery.

“Having them both in the room with me was basically having 50-100 years of experience,” Williams said. “Everything I learned about the sport I learned from them.”

Williams has not had much time to speak with the team, but his expectations for the team when they hit the mats is already set.

“Work hard…work hard,” Williams said. “I don’t like excuses. I won't give them excuses and I don’t want to hear excuses. If you want to be No. 1, then being No. 1 means you work hard. It means you give us your all, it means you listen, stay out of trouble and you pay attention.”

The hard work Williams will look for goes beyond the mat, too.

“We want athletes that take care of their business in the classroom, as well. A lot of the youngsters now don’t understand when you don't take care of your business in the classroom, it shows when you get on the mat, when you step on the basketball court or when you step onto the football field. You have to take care of your business in the classroom.”

With wrestling season a few months ahead, there is still one possible match that Williams has considered — a match between one of his wrestlers and his own son.

Williams' son, Hassan Williams, is a wrestler at Eastside High School who competed for the Eagles throughout their run through sectionals last season.

“That’s one of the matches that I will not have to walk away from, but I won’t coach against my son. I will probably sit on the sideline while one of the other coaches coaches [the match],” Williams joked.

When it came to describing the style of his team, Williams only needed one word.

“Classy,” Williams said. “We are not into the games and the shenanigans — [or] the rowdiness and the cussing. We want to go beat people up and go home without foolishness. Classy is the word I would use to describe the program. We just want to have wrestlers that are mannerable and nice. They get on the mat and flip the switch, then they come back off the mat and they are mannerable and nice again.”

Another aspect of Williams joining Alcovy is the work he is able to do off the mat, as well.

Williams noted that his main inspiration as a coach and teacher is to have  “impact.”

“In my other role at Alcovy this year I am a guidance counselor. One of the main reasons I wanted to get out of the classroom was to have more impact,” Williams said. “I just got tired of seeing so many kids fall through the cracks because they weren’t having the time invested into them. All children need [the time], but some need it more than others. Wrestling allows me to have that further impact. That's what we work to instill throughout our program. You may not like everything that happens. You may have a bad day on the mat, but you get up and try again tomorrow. The no quit attitude, the, ‘I am just going to keep it diligent and keep moving.’ Those are things we hope to instill.”

As the school year begins and wrestling season gets ever closer, Williams is excited for his new team and what they can achieve.

“It is a wonderful sport. It’s a wonderful family — my wrestling family,” Williams said. “It’s a small family, but it’s a wonderful family. It’s been a great ride, I am hoping to continue it this year. I think it’s going to be a great year for Alcovy wrestling.”