The Sparta Bulldogs boys basketball had a lot of questions surrounding the team as the season started.
How would they respond to new coach Rich Williams?
How would the team fare against a very tough conference and nonconference schedule?
The Bulldogs have played beyond expectations this season starting the year with an 11-4 record while taking third at the McKendree/Lebanon Tournament and second at the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament.
Williams has been around the local coaching scene for years now, but he is now at a place in which he describes as his dream job and the results are clear.
Watching Williams coach on the sidelines one can easily tell that the passion is still there for the game and for the Bulldogs.
Williams has always been known as a great scout and helped Pinckneyville to many successful year there, now that he is running the program, he has surrounded himself with a good coaching staff and he is getting the most out of his players.
Yes, there is plenty of talent on the Sparta roster this season, but this year Williams has the team winning the close games and getting fans excited again about Bulldog basketball.
Williams knows that it takes great community support to build up a program and he is always trying to get the fans, which he calls Bulldog Nation, out to games.
Williams has always had a love for the Sparta community and its kids and he played a big role along with football coach Phil Watson in bringing back the flag football program and making sure the Sparta Little Dribblers program continued.
The road ahead for Williams and the Bulldogs is tough as they still have conference games with Pinckneyville, Nashville and Du Quoin on horizon, but fans can be assured one thing—Sparta will be prepared.