Standing at 5’3, Remel Williams might not be the biggest in stature, but she has a wealth of confidence and knowledge. Armed with a doctoral degree, a plethora of USA Track and Field courses and 22 years of competition, Williams is extremely familiar with the world of track and field.
“There are sometimes when we’re at meets and I think ‘man I miss running.’ But as a coach, I love watching my athletes go after their goals both on the track and in their careers,” Williams said about her athletes. She admitted that she’s been doing a lot better at connecting with her athletes this year and the evidence is clear. Her office is littered with photos of her with previous athletes and teammates. Hanging on her office door is a white board with various messages from track athletes that happen to pass by.
“When I first got here, my background was in events like the 100m and 200m. I love every event I coach but now that I’ve learned more about jumps and hurdles, I love coaching those events,” admitted Remel. Since her arrival in 2020, she has helped lead Piedmont’s men’s track team to three championship victories, and the women’s team to one.
“I’m a big believer that coaching shouldn’t be the same every year, I should elevate,” said Williams, leaning on the wall of her office. “When I first came in, I didn’t have much knowledge in the hurdles or sprints. Now that I’ve taken courses and shadowed other coaches, I know a lot more about them.” She has had 11 top 10 finishes in the 2025 indoor track and field season from Piedmont jumpers.
Track wise, Williams has found repeated success in coaching athletes such as junior Silas Goolsby, fifth year Garrett Stadler, sophomore Allison Cantrell and sophomore Keyuna Peebles, all of which have scored points for Piedmont at the Collegiate College of the South conference meet.
“Coach Remel has been an inspiration to me on and off the track,” said Peebles.”She believes in me and sees my talent when I don’t. Watching her work hard to achieve her doctorate while coaching us full time has helped me realize that despite the challenges, I can accomplish anything I set out to do. Having representation of the achievements of other black women around me helps push me to know that I am capable.”
As a Black woman in sports, Williams wants to make it known that she is more than her minority status.
“I’ve had coaches that have never had a female coach or assistant coach. I don’t want to be your token. Don’t hire me because I’m female, I have qualifications and have done well with the athletes I’ve coached,” decidedly said Williams.
The USA Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association has a female mentorship program that Williams has been a part of for two years. She recounted a time where her mentee asked her for advice on what to do in uncomfortable situations with other coaches or officials.
“Stand your ground, know what you want and enjoy what you do,” she said. “There will come times when you have to deal with things that you don’t want to deal with, but that’s life. Only you can decide how to move forward in a way that stays true to yourself.”
Though she follows sports in her free time, being a Golden State Warriors and adamant Atlanta Falcons fan, she lives and breathes track and field. Her dedication to bettering her athletes and herself as a coach is palpable:
“As a coach, as a spectator and as a former athlete, I love this sport.”
