Pacey Williams is this week’s Walborsky, Bradley and Fleming Student Athlete of the Week

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) -For senior Pacey Williams, Marianna isn’t the only place he calls home. Between the foul lines holds a special place in his heart as well. ”I don’t know it’s just, older dudes in the MLB like Derek Jeter, I just love watching the game so that made me love it and my dad.” And they say bulldogs are some of the toughest dogs out there, so it’s fitting that Pacey’s been one for 4 years as he’s one of the toughest athletes in the panhandle; recovering from a torn labrum during football and baseball season. “The surgery, it put me back, I didn’t get to play my whole junior year. I didn’t get to play the spring of football. Mentally I was just like, I got to get through it so I could play my senior year because I knew I wanted to because I love, I love playing sports period.”

“He’s a tough kid,” adds Marianna head baseball coach Adam Bigale “he’s smart, the guys listen to him. He has that about him. He just kind of rises to the top and they follow him, when he speaks, they listen.”

He’s rising to the top of the school boards too. Pacey has a 3.5 GPA with plans of going to Chipola to continue his studies in welding. “It’s probably a different kind of mindset” Pacey says “because I’m like, ‘I’ve got to get this work done so I’ll have good grades. So my parents aren’t on me’ but on the field I just do whatever because it just comes naturally and I just love it like that.” “He shows up everyday and gets it done.” says Bigale “You don’t see him not at school everyday. He’s there, working, getting it done. That’s what he does on the field, he’s there, he’s everyday, grinding.” Though the season for Marianna has come to end, Coach Bigale gave Pacey a goal to accomplish at the beginning of the year and I think Pacey hit it out of the park. “We meet with all our guys at the beginning of the year and Pacey’s was lead this team. Whatever amount of playing it was, DH, pinch hitter, just be a leader.” “Yeah, I have accomplished it. Just trying to get better and have fun, practically all of it.” Newschannel 7′s Student Athlete of the Week is sponsored by Walborsky, Bradley and Fleming.

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