Upon entering the Sam Viersen Gymnastics Center in Norman, you’ll find a trophy case overflowing with almost every college gymnastics trophy imaginable. From national championship trophies to individual awards, the success of the programs housed in the center is clear with a single glance, but the trophy case wasn’t always so full. Seven of the national championship trophies on display belong to long-time Oklahoma men’s gymnastics coach Mark Williams.
Since he took the helm in 2000, he has developed arguably the most dominant program in Oklahoma history — he boasts a .932 winning percentage — decimating the rest of the college gymnastics world and crafting athletes for international competition.
The Sooners are undefeated in 2017, their third such season in a row. They’re poised for a third straight national title, a first for the program and a nod at Williams’ top-flight coaching. Under Williams, the Sooners have finished no lower than third in the national championship aside from his first season, when they finished fourth.
The foundation
Williams’ road to coaching history began long before he made it to Oklahoma. It began behind another legendary men’s gymnastics coach — former Nebraska coach Francis Allen. Williams competed under Allen from 1977-1980 and was a part of two national championship teams, earning All-American honors on the high bar in 1978.
Early in his time at Nebraska, Williams stood out — not for his athletic ability, but for his way of thinking. It wasn’t hard for Allen to see that Williams had the mind of a coach.
“He was continually an excellent student of gymnastics,” Allen said. “He was always paying attention, and I could tell he was going to be a good coach.”
Seeing Williams’ coaching potential, Allen began taking him along to camps, unaware that he was forming the mind of the next coaching great.
In 1981 Williams became a graduate assistant under Allen, learning from a man who would go on to have eight national titles credited to his name. Over the years Allen has watched from the sidelines like a proud dad as Williams found the highest levels of coaching success.
“I’d like to think he learned his coaching style from me,” Allen said. “I’m louder, more abrasive and, I think, funnier. I don’t know what others would say. He’s soft-spoken, and I speak before I think and then say sorry.”
Winning tradition
Williams’ list of accomplishments grows longer by the second, as his tenure at Oklahoma has been nothing short of immaculate. The La Grange Park, Illinois, native has led the Sooners to seven national titles and 14 conference championships since he took over in 2000.
Williams took the helm of a program that hadn’t seen a title in over 10 years. His first year on the job Oklahoma finished fourth nationally — the only time in the Williams era the Sooners have been outside the top three. In 2001, the Sooners were national runners-up, and by 2003 Williams had led Oklahoma to back-to-back national championships. In 2005 he cemented his place as the winningest men’s gymnastics coach in Oklahoma history by leading the Sooners to their sixth national title — his third — and surpassing former Oklahoma coach Paul Ziert for most national title wins.
Oklahoma won the national title again in 2006 and 2008 but hit a rough spot after that — if you consider no lower than a third-place showing rough. Williams found success again in 2015 and 2016, when he coached two of the most dominant teams in NCAA history. Oklahoma won back-to-back national titles once again and broke the record for highest team total in NCAA history with 457.300 points, becoming the only team to eclipse 450 points.
After Oklahoma’s 2016 National Championship win, Williams owns the third-most national titles with seven. He’s one title away from tying with his former coach, Allen, for second place.
“It’s a burden,” joked Allen, who said he is looking forward to Williams tying his record.
Former Penn State coach Gene Wettstone holds the record with nine national championships, something that Williams will likely tie — if not beat — if he continues to coach at the level he has been for the past 17 years.
“He is the best coach, and I think his record and his titles have proved it,” senior Colin Van Wicklen said. “It’s been a blessing. I’ve wanted to come to the University of Oklahoma since I was 8 years old. Mark gave me this opportunity, and it’s something that I’ll never take for granted, so it’s been a privilege to compete for Coach Williams.”
Sustaining success
Williams’ sustained success can be attributed to a coaching style that’s as flexible as his gymnasts. He knows when to draw the line among coach, friend and father figure. His gymnasts see him as someone they can take their problems to as well as someone who won’t cut them any slack.
“Honestly, it’s amazing,” sophomore Yul Moldauer said. “He’s not just a coach, he’s a father, too. He’s always getting on us about school and how we act. It’s really cool to have a coach, but it’s also really cool to have someone you can talk to personally and just look up to. And I’m blessed that I could be an athlete under his name.”
Williams treats his gymnasts like a father would treat their sons. He’s tough but fair. He understands that he’s coaching college guys and there needs to be a certain level of fun.
“His personality in the gym is exactly what you need out of a coach,” assistant coach and former OU gymnast Steven Legendre said. “He knows when to keep it kind of light and fun just like the athletes usually prefer, but when it comes down to it, when it’s a work day, or when the team isn’t performing the way they need to perform, he’s also the personality that’s really going to come down on them and let them know that what they’re doing isn’t enough or it’s not acceptable.”
Williams has built a high level of trust within his team through his role as a father figure, which has allowed for continued success. With the full trust of his gymnasts, Williams is able to tweak his coaching style and game plan as much or as little as he believes is necessary.
“I think that the basic principles that I’ve used over the years are pretty much the same and a lot of the scheduling may came down to doing the same things,” Williams said. “But I believe every year becomes different in what we need to do and how we need to do it because the chemistry of the team, the personnel, changes.”
“I’m always flexible to new ideas,” Williams said. “I think I’m willing to adjust when it’s necessary.
Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, assistant coach and former OU gymnast under Williams, said Williams’ plan inspires faith in the team every year, making for continued success.
“Ever since he took over as head coach, the team kind of just started to excel from that plan,” Abdullah-Simmons said. “And then when you have that first generation of success, the athletes that come in understand that the plan works, so the buy-in happens almost immediately for the athletes, which allows the teams, the rollover, to never skip a beat. So that’s just how it happens year after year. Every team is willing to work hard and go for that goal of winning that national championship.”
Developing athletes is what Williams does best. Doing the exact same thing every year doesn’t work. The team changes along with its strengths and weaknesses, and adjusting to that is how Williams has found sustainable success. He’s not stuck on a single method or formula, because no two teams or gymnasts are the same.
Allen said Williams’ ability to understand how to change his coaching style for different athletes is his key to success.
“Some people get good athletes and don’t know how to develop them,” Allen said. “You have to be able to analyze a kid and try to find out what works for him. Some people try to fit kids into a model, and that doesn’t work.”
Williams’ success can be credited in part to his adaptability while developing athletes, but it’s also because of his winning mentality. He knows how to win championships, and he’s confident that’s not going to change any time soon.
“The expectation here is high,” Williams said. “If you want to come here, we’re going to compete for championships, and we’re going to expect a lot out of you in order to earn the right to be out there. So I’m comfortable that we’ve created a program and atmosphere that generally breeds more success.”
Correction: This article was corrected at 2:15 p.m. Sunday, March 19 to reflect the correct All-American honors Williams received in 1978.
