Men’s Football
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Join U SPORTS Conversations on February 27 at 7 p.m. ET as we examine the intersection between race and sports within the Black community. The event will be hosted by Karelle Edwards-Perry, 5x Team Canada hurdler, licensed mental health counsellor, and mental performance consultant. Tune in live @USPORTSca on YouTube.
Fitting the right pieces to the puzzle is a part of the journey Vince Williams takes pride in. From Halifax, Nova Scotia, Williams’ go-getter mentality is what drives him to help the younger generation, along with showing how passionate he is about representing his roots.
Williams, an African-Canadian of Caribbean descent, puts in substantial efforts to celebrate and uplift the accomplishments of the Black community and educate on Black history. Williams advocates for social justice and uses his voice to make a difference. On February 1, 2023, Williams was honoured to raise the African Nova Scotian flag at Lockview High School in Halifax, where he is a student support worker.
“When I raised the flag and looked up, it was almost a moment of reflection, doing it for the ancestors. A moment that when it was going up, they were raising me up, and I could feel them on the way as it got to the top of the flag pole,” said Williams.
Sports, football in particular, is extremely important to Williams, who has been officiating at the high school and university levels for 13 years. His father gave him his first set of gear when he was seven years old, and the sport has been stuck with him ever since then.
“I used to play a lot with the helmet and shoulder pads and the first football emblem that I ever recognized was the “R” on the side of the helmet of the Ottawa Roughriders, and I said to myself and my father that I am going to play football when I get older,” Williams explained.
Williams was a two-sport athlete, playing basketball and football at St. Patrick’s High School in Halifax. At first, he was hesitant to juggle two sports, but he persevered and made conscious sacrifices to work towards his goals. Williams became an all-star quarterback. When university came around, Williams put all his focus on football and attended St. Mary’s, where he played wide receiver for legendary coach Larry Uteck.
“Vince was a hell of a football player, we played football and basketball for years against each other and together. He was an extremely hard worker.”
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Attending St. Mary’s was not Williams’ first choice. Reflecting on his childhood and the Roughriders helmet, Williams aspired to wear a Carleton Ravens helmet. With an interest in pursuing journalism, Carleton University seemed to be the perfect fit. When Carleton unexpectedly dropped their journalism program in Williams' junior year, he would eventually end up choosing St. Mary’s for his next chapter.
“Life throws curveballs at you, and you just have to be ready at all times and control what you can control,” said Williams.
The relationship Williams and Uteck had was special, and a recommendation from Uteck to Arena Football League (AFL) coaches played an integral part in Williams’ career with the AFL in the United States.
His AFL experience is one he will cherish and never forget, as he was given the opportunity to play against some of the top collegiate athletes in America.
Unfortunately, an injury cut Williams’ career short halfway through his season with the Green Bay Blizzard. Being the type to give back, Williams decided coaching would be next. He joined Woodlawn High School in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where he is currently the head basketball coach.
This transition sparked an interest in officiating. “I saw that the CFL did not have much representation when it came to Black officials, and then I looked at the NFL and there was a lot of representation. I wanted to see if this goal of being a professional official would come to fruition,” said Williams.
After speaking with CFL officials and other personnel, Williams proudly proclaimed: “I want to be the first Black official in the CFL. How can you help me?”
“I love being on the field with my fellow officials; we are the third team out there. I fell in love with doing this and have not looked back since,” Williams explained.
On May 3, 2022, the CFL Officiating Academy announced nine officials, and Williams was one of them.
“It was a surreal moment, putting in all that hard work. Having the opportunity to earn it, just to be in this position, is an incredible feeling. When I got the call saying I was selected for the academy, it was a humbling moment. It was heart-warming to meet all the participants, we are a family and are all trying to become professional officials. It was also a reminder to the kids because I try to inspire and encourage them every day to be anything that they want to be,” said Williams.
Even before Williams raised the African-Nova Scotian flag or was named to the CFL’s Officiating Academy, he motivated youth in the community. Back in 2020, Williams was a part of J-School Noire, a media-training program for students in the Black community, where they got hands-on experience with the camera, filmmaking, and storytelling in an art television lab environment. The experience was for junior high and high school students to get a taste of what a career in the journalism world would look like.
Regardless of the outcome of the two-year-long academy, Williams has gained valuable knowledge from his colleagues and veteran officials that he will apply in day-to-day life.
“I prepare just as I would prepare when I was a player, making sure I went through my progressions on what I need to know before, during and after the snap. Also, making sure that I am able to keep up and make the proper judgment calls,” Williams explained.
Williams’ ability to connect to his students is a testament to his love for the community. He shares advice and knowledge about African-Nova Scotian history that they may not know.
“It is very important to be proud of your heritage, and where you came from is something I try to instill in them every single day,” said Williams.
Since a young age, Williams has put his best foot forward and continues to show appreciation for the ones that came before him.
Learn more about Vince Williams, join U SPORTS Conversations on February 27 at 7 p.m. ET as we examine the intersection between race and sports within the Black community. Williams will be joined by Black student-athletes and administrators committed to positive change.Tune in live @USPORTSca on YouTube.
Jordan Stoddart is a Centennial College sports journalism student. A former NCAA division 1 soccer player who has embarked on a journey in sports media. He has written articles on gocolts.ca and broadcasted games for various varsity athletic teams for Centennial. Stoddart is also a youth basketball and soccer coach for the city of Mississauga.