At most universities, it's big news when a basketball coach eclipses 200 career wins. At Xavier Louisiana, it's become a matter of course. 

Last week, when co-head men's basketball coach Alfred Williams reached the double-century mark, he became the fourth consecutive XULA men's coach to do so. 

Yet, even at a university where success on the hardwood is an expectation, not an aspiration, it is important not to overlook the work, dedication, and passion required to compile the record that Williams has. 

While Williams' success has been a continuation of the tradition of excellence for which Xavier is well known, he also represents a unique chapter in the history of XULA Athletics.

Replacing a Legend

The sports world is replete with axioms, and among them is that you never want to be the person replacing a legend. It's better, the old bromide goes, to replace the guy who replaced the legend. 

In Williams's case, he was tasked with replacing Dannton Jackson, the man who holds the record for career wins. 

"My goal was to continue the success of the program and take it up to another notch," Williams said. 

And take it up a notch, he has. 

To date, Williams-led XULA teams have won five conference championships - two regular-season titles and three tournament wins - and have graduated 30 student-athletes and support staff. 

"I always focused on just doing the work; the success just followed because of the work," Williams said. "It has been such an honor to represent the Gold and White as the leader of the Men's Basketball program."

The players are equally pleased to be led by a man who has embraced a more modern coaching approach, but one still rooted in old-school, tough-nosed basketball.

"His coaching style is best described as balanced; balanced between game-based coaching and a holistic approach," senior forward Kaleb Huggins said. "By game-based, I mean placing a heightened focus on simulated games and real-world scenarios to enhance our decision-making and skill development. This is effective because it employs and equips us to produce creative solutions to potential adversities that we may face in-game.

"And by holistic coaching approach, I mean a holistic coach aims to nurture personal growth alongside our athletic success, inadvertently helping us develop resilience, focus, and balance. Going back to relationship building, this approach involves a lot of relationship-building and commitment to each player's success, not just as an athlete but as a person."

The Golden Secret

As impressive as his record of success has been, Williams maintains that there is no magical formulation at play here. 

"The secret has been just the hard work,' Williams said. "Attention to details. Finding a winning formula that works and sticking to it. Building a foundation on teamwork, hard work, recruiting the right student-athletes, and getting the right staff onboard."

As best as modern researchers have been able to ascertain, based on personality profiles and mounds of investigative papers, the most successful coaches are, contrary to popular opinion, not uncaring taskmasters. 

Rather, the best coaches are demanding, but distinguishable for the amount of care they show their athletes. 

As Huggins explains, William's whole-athlete approach impacts his players' lives well beyond the court. 

"He stresses 3 things," Huggins said, instantly being able to quote Williams' frequent statements, "'The work has to be done, it won't just happen for you.' You must do what is required for success if you want to see the results you desire. Two, 'It's about the details, it's about the small things.' It's about the smaller things that contribute to winning, such as being on time, controlling the controllables (your attitude, mindset, and effort). Three, 'This game of basketball will teach you about life,' meaning there is more to this game than just bouncing a ball; it teaches you how to be accountable, disciplined, and intentional about the trajectory of your life and decisions."

Coach Williams summarizes his style as an extension of teaching young men how to succeed in every avenue of their lives. 

"Building life lessons through basketball has all been the goal," Williams said. "Basketball is just the vehicle. The lessons that can be taught through basketball translate to life, and we try to pour into them to help them become great men, husbands, leaders, and citizens. We teach that everything that you do, that has your name attached to it, you treat it with the respect that it deserves."

The Mitchell Factor

To the outside observer, the most unique aspect of the Xavier men's team is that it is led by a pair of co-head coaches, Williams and Tyrone Mitchell. It's a partnership that is currently in its 10th year. 

In college sports, co-head coaching appointments are exceedingly rare, and in men's basketball, effectively unheard of. Head coaches tend to have little to no interest in sharing authority. 

But Williams and Mitchell have found a balance that works. 

"Coach Mitchell has been great since we came together,' Williams said. "It has been 10 years now, and we found a formula that works. He has been instrumental in helping us recruit locally and regionally, along with us having one of the top defenses every year."

Perhaps the magic is found in Williams and Mitchell's shared view of the proper way to run a program.

"Success starts with us gathering a collection of talent to help us win, both on the court and in the classroom," Williams said. "The reputation that we have developed in the state, I believe that it speaks for itself with all the success and championships that we have won on and off the court."

Huggins said that Williams makes it known to everyone that Xavier is fortunate to have a great coaching staff.

"He acknowledges that behind every great leader is a staff far greater than him that helps the team chase its shared endeavor," Huggins said. "He expresses that frequently, bragging and giving them praises always, because without them, he knows he would not be where he is today."

Eyes on the Horizon 

In keeping with the long tradition of great coaches rarely being satisfied, Williams' overall opinion of his 200 wins is that the achievement is great, but not yet the best that he or the Gold Rush can do. 

Even as Xavier wraps its season with a 19-9 overall record and a 15-7 Red River Athletics Conference, good enough for 3rd, Williams still sees more potential for his young men. 

"We have yet to play our best ball," Williams said. "I believe this team is coming together at the right time! Looking forward to finishing strong this week and using momentum going into the tournament."

That's a passion that Huggins said is shared by everyone in the program. 

"It means the world to me to be able to be a part of a winning tradition and to keep it going and dominating!" Huggins siad. "I hold stock in the success of this program and will forever! It is bigger than right now to me; it is upholding the standard of what others established before me! Continually, doing what needs to be done for the success of this program. Doing whatever needs to be done to ensure the success of this program! 

"This program, the games I get to play in, and the relationships that I form are all for a greater calling; they are to influence the next little boy or young man that whatever you put your mind to you can do! Regardless of circumstance, naysayers, or doubt! With a little work, perseverance, and the right people around you, anything is possible!"

XULA, the No. 3 seed in the RRAC tournament, will play No. 6 North American on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the RRAC quarterfinals, which will be held at the Laborde Earles Coliseum, formerly known as the Rapides Parish Coliseum.