HELENA -- First it was volleyball, then teaching. Now track and field is the latest passion to go for longtime mentor Sheila Williams, who announced her resignation as head track and field coach of the Helena High girls on Thursday.
Williams, who won consecutive Class AA state championships in 2010-11 as the head volleyball coach at Helena High, announced her retirement from teaching earlier this year. She mentored three straight Montana Gatorade volleyball players of the year -- daughter Kelsey Williams (2009), Monica Grimsrud (2010) and daughter Kyndal Williams (2011).
As a track coach, Williams coached numerous state champions, including runners Jade Roskam-Purnell, Odessa Zentz and Carly Smiedala, and pole vaulters Kamden Hilborn and Julie Rockenbaugh. Aimee Morrison and Anna Brooks brought the Helena girls individual titles in the discus and javelin, respectively, at the 2005 state meet.
Williams first became the Bengals track and field coach in 2002.
Williams is a graduate of Belgrade High School and attended Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., where she played point guard on the women's basketball team. She previously coached in Terry and Shelby before winding up in Helena.
