Heading into his fifth season as Head Coach, Williams watched his athletes achieve many great performances over the 2018 and 2019 seasons. To finish a strong fall season, the men's cross country team reached a 7th place finish at the conference championship. In the spring, the women's track and field team finished the season with an 11th place finish at the conference championship, while the men's team achieved a 6th place finish matching their finish from the previous season.
Robert Williams (Bob) joined the Clark College cross country and track and field staff as assistant coach in 2013 after a storied coaching career at the high school level. In his first year at Clark, Williams coached two athletes to All-American status in the Men’s 3,000 meter steeplechase and the Women’s 5,000 meters.
Coach Williams specializes in coaching distance runners. He ran cross country and track, competing in the 3,000M steeplechase at NCAA Division I power house University of Oregon.  He had the honor of being mentored by famed coach and Nike, Inc. co-founder Bill Bowerman, as well as Olympian, Bill Dellinger. After leaving Oregon, Williams earned his Bachelors in Health Education from Portland State University. He went on to teach health and sciences classes while helping coach a state champion cross country team at Scappoose High School. He also coached the wrestling team at Rainier High School prior to beginning his 25-year career at St. Helens High School.
In 2014, Williams took on the role of head coach for both the cross country and track and field teams at Clark College and has a goal of building solid and competitive teams. He is no stranger to building strong programs.  While coaching at St. Helens High School, Williams coached three state champion athletes, district champions, and helped coach the team to their first Oregon State Track and Field Championship in 2007. William’s former distance athlete, Ryan Waite, earned state champion and All-American honors in the 800M posting a 1:50.67.  Waite went on to compete at Brigham Young University.
Coach Williams brings his experience, passion, and love of the sport to Clark College. If you were to speak to Williams’ athletes, you would likely hear that Bob’s quiet, reflective nature, consistent demeanor, good sense of humor, and genuine interest in developing adults of strong character are what set him apart as a coach and mentor.
Coach Williams lives in Battle Ground, WA. He has two sons of his own (Jeremy and Brandon Williams), and one grandsons (Tarance).
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