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Alumna Lives Out A Dream In Job Supporting NFL Players
Nov. 17, 2014
SHSU Media Contact: Julia May
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| As a lifelong sports fan who has a passion for helping others, Candice Williams was able to get the best of both worlds this summer when she accepted a position with The Trust, which counsels former NFL players as they tackle health, career and financial issues following their departure from the league. —Photo by Brian Blalock |
One of the key messages often delivered at Sam Houston State University is “At Sam, you can dream and succeed.”
That’s just what Candice Williams has done in getting her “dream job” with The Trust, an ecosystem of support for former National Football League players, with an emphasis on overall health and successful transition into life after football.
“The staff of The Trust counsels players through a wellness plan across six primary pillars—brain and body, career, education, financial, lifestyle, and personal interaction,” said Williams, who is a doctoral student in SHSU’s Department of Counselor Education.
The idea for establishing The Trust came after discussions between football players and the National Football League Players Association led the association to combine resources and create a set of programs for support. Among The Trust’s guiding principles are to “empower players to take charge of their health, careers, finances and growth.”
A Huntsville native, Williams first came to SHSU in 2009 when she began work on her master’s degree in counseling.
“I’m an advocate for counseling,” she said. “I was actively involved with the Texas Counseling Association, and I’ve been a board member for the past two years.”
She also served as the director of the Texas Association for Multi-Cultural Counseling and Development for two years.
“I have a passion for the profession and a passion for helping others in terms of counseling,” she said. “And I love sports.”
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| Candice Williams, a lifelong football fan, with former Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans linebacker Bradie James. —Submitted photo |
Williams grew up playing softball and basketball from the time she was very young all the way through high school. While completing her master’s degree at SHSU, she worked part-time for the Houston Texans as a concierge for season ticket holders.
“Although my work was mainly with the fans, I was able to observe the day-to-day operation of a professional football team. I was able to connect with the director of player development and became interested in his role with the players,” she said.
After that job ended, she applied for an internship with the National Football League in their player-engagement office.
“I was contacted and interviewed over the phone, but the director of the office told me I was overqualified for the position,” she said. “But the director also told me to continue to pound the pavement, and she had no doubt that I would be successful with what I wanted to do in professional sports.”
From that moment, Williams focused on networking. She joined a number of sports-related organizations and concentrated her research on the attitudes and perceptions of sports concussions on the psychological development of individuals participating in sports. She also worked in the SHSU Athletics Office as a student assistant in the area of compliance.
This past February, Williams had the opportunity to go to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“At the combine, there is also a sports marketing conference going on at the same time,” she said. “In addition to the scouts, coaches and sports agents, representatives from the NFL are there to talk with individuals who are interested in careers in professional sports.”
Williams observed that a lot of discussion about mental health issues relating to athletes was taking place at the combine. She was encouraged that she was heading in the right direction with her research and her desire to make a contribution to the field.
When she returned to SHSU, she polished her resume and asked Judith Nelson, associate professor of counselor education and acting chair of the Department of Educational Leadership to review it.
“I had been aware of Candice’s intense interest in sports psychology and counseling athletes since I met her during her work as a master’s level student in the community counseling program,” Nelson said. “Her interest has continued even now that she is a doctoral student. It’s been very rewarding for me to be a part of the journey she has taken toward her dream job of helping athletes cope with pressures, injuries and emotional problems.”
When the Elliott T. Bowers Honors College hosted its annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in the spring, Williams served as a faculty moderator.
“The parents of one of the presenters were there and we were all seated at the same table for lunch that day,” Williams said. “We visited and the student’s father told me that he could see me working with the NFL players union.
“I was familiar with the organization and had looked at their website, but I had never seen a position open with them,” she said. “Later that day, I looked online again, and this time they were advertising a position to work with The Trust.”
Williams completed a formal application and sent in her resume and a cover letter separately. Soon, she was contacted by the director of human resources who told her she wanted Williams to come to Washington, D. C., for an interview.
“It happened very quickly,” Williams said. “It worked to my advantage that I was prepared ahead of time. That is one thing I would stress to students going into the job market. Have your vita ready to go and be sure to highlight not only your work experience, but also everything you’ve done relating to the position you are applying for. Also, practice interviewing. Those things really helped me to be comfortable and confident.”
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| Williams with some of the men who utilize the services of The Trust, an ecosystem of support for former National Football League players that emphasizes their overall health and successful transition into life after football. —Submitted photo |
Within a couple of weeks following the interview, Williams was offered the job. She moved to Washington and began work on July 1.
Four months later, even though she has gotten lost a few times and misses Texas food terribly, Williams has acclimated to her new home on the East Coast and is totally in love with her job.
“Being able to combine my passion for helping others along with my love for sports is truly a blessing,” she said. “Each day, I am motivated by my colleagues and the players I work with. They constantly inspire me.”
As the program manager of Mental Health Services for The Trust, Williams is the point person for handling cases involving mental health, as well as identifying mental health resources for players and creating mental health protocols for the organization. In addition, she works closely with partners of The Trust to develop crisis management and mental health resources for former players.
“I have learned so much in the brief time that I have been in this role, and the experience is invaluable,” she said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work alongside men who are ‘more than football.’ They are fathers, husbands, scholars, businessmen, mentors, leaders, etc. And they genuinely appreciate the services offered through The Trust.”
Williams admits that she is often amazed at how she went from daydreaming about her future career two years ago to actually living her dream now.
“I once read a quote that said, ‘Success isn’t just what you accomplish in your life—it’s about what you inspire others to do,’” she said. “My goal in life is to inspire others to pursue their dreams. The work that I do on a daily basis is more than just a job. I am fulfilling my purpose, I am doing what I love, and I love what I do.”
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