By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Bo Williamson says he embraced coaching basketball early on when he delved into coaching.
His next project is in its own form of infancy.
Williamson, a former football and basketball standout at Cummings, is the first boys’ basketball coach at Southeast Alamance High School, which opens next month.
“It was hard to turn down a brand-new school,” Williamson said. “It’s a perfect opportunity. Starting your own culture. You don’t have to fill in after anybody. What it becomes is what we create.”
Williamson spent six years coaching at Burlington’s Turrentine Middle School. He said securing a head coaching position on the varsity level had been a goal.
He’s the younger brother of Florida Atlantic assistant men’s basketball coach Drew Williamson, whose team was in this spring’s Final Four.
Bo Williamson, 35, is a 2005 Cummings graduate, following that with four years in the Elon University football program as a receiver.
While the basketball coach at Turrentine, he also spent two years as a football assistant and two years as football head coach at the school.
“It’s still in me, I don’t want to lose that,” he said of an affection for football. “More so, it’s what found me. I’m a football guy at heart. But I like the dynamics of basketball. Basketball is a happy balance for me.”
With Williamson, Turrentine won six season-ending DARE basketball championships that signals the county champion.
Williamson played basketball at Cummings under then-coach George Robinson, who’s now the Alamance-Burlington School System’s athletics director.
“Just a winner, coming from a good family,” Robinson said. “He’s just successful in whatever he does.”
The task at Southeast will be different with a new school and a bunch of unknowns.
“This first year is going to be tough,” Williamson said. “Building blocks, that’s the goal.”
Southeast’s first team is bound to be a blend of players. Up to 25 potential members of the program have attended some summer workouts. One recent gathering had 14 players who participate in fall sports – 12 on the football team and two in soccer.
“We don’t know who all is going to walk through that door,” Williamson said. “Trying to figure out the team right now.”
Rising juniors Ryan Dodson and Brandon McAdoo have been redistricted from Southern Alamance, while rising sophomore guard Jerry Sims is a transfer from Southeast Guilford. There will be players arriving from Eastern Alamance and freshmen who could help as well.
Williamson, who earned a master’s degree from Gardner-Webb through online courses, will hold a full-time role as graduation coach at Southeast.
See other local high school sports stories for this week’s (July 13) edition:
Two Williams football players in the East-West All-Star football game next week: https://alamancenews.com/east-west-all-star-football-preview-williams-teammates-hold-differing-perspectives-for-upcoming-nc-east-west-game/
Western’s Jenna Standafer, Williams’ Tyler Thompson will be in East-West All-Star soccer games next week: https://alamancenews.com/east-west-all-star-soccer-preview-defensive-role-works-for-westerns-standafer/
Williams’ Briahna Scott in East-West All-Star girls’ basketball game next week: https://alamancenews.com/east-west-all-star-basketball-preview-williams-scott-sees-value-in-nc-east-west-basketball-competition/
Eastern’s state championship girls’ soccer team honored at Mebane city council meeting: https://alamancenews.com/mebane-city-council-honors-eastern-girls-soccer-team-for-winning-state-championship/
