Today we’d like to introduce you to Maurice Williams.
Hi Maurice, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My vision for Crossing Courts started about three years ago. I wanted a way to give back to volleyball without me actually having to coach a team. Don’t get me wrong, I love coaching. However, my love for the sport goes much deeper than that. I remember looking around and seeing an absence of young black girls and boys in the sport. Sure, there are some black girls in the sport. (Hardly any black boys) However, not nearly as many as white youth. To me, that was a red flag!
Volleyball tends to be one of those sports that cost quite a bit of money. Not necessarily when it comes to personal equipment like shoes, jerseys and knee pads. More so when it comes to getting solid exposure if someone’s child wants to take their skills to the next level or get exposed to the sport for the first time. That is, assuming that the opportunity to play volleyball is even something that can be considered. Most of the time, schools will offer indoor volleyball because they already have a gymnasium. Which makes total sense, at least to me. The problem comes in when the school doesn’t place the volleyball program to the same standard when put up against football, basketball, soccer and other sports that happen around the same time. I mean, I’ve had athletic directors of high schools flat out tell me, “that’s just the way high school sports work.” Nothing quite pisses me off more than an adult who refuses to put the time and effort in for the future of their student athletes. All because “that’s just the way it is.” Like the kids future is a Phil Collins song. I mean, think about it. The “figure head” of all of your sports programs is telling future applicants that they cant put more time into the volleyball programs because, why!? Laziness? I’ve known coaches that had to physically drive a school bus full of athletes to and from games or their team wouldn’t be able to compete. All because money has been spent “driving miss daisy” and all 50 something football athletes to an away game. I also know other coaches that have had to come out of their pocket, from the checks the school pays them to teach, to pay for jerseys for their volleyball athletes…tell me where that’s even acceptable? But then, those same administrations have no problem collecting any money generated from the hard work of their coaches/athletes. To put it simply, “It’s trifling!”
Folks think the kids don’t see what’s going on however they 100% see that lack of love. Also, these kids aren’t stupid by any stretch of the imagination. They notice when their administration doesn’t have enough money to buy them jerseys that fit properly. Just like they see when their administration all of a sudden has the money to buy new football/basketball jerseys every year. Oouuu chile, I’m getting worked up while I’m typing this out. I created Crossing Courts as a way to give ALL youth an opportunity to be great. Not sometimes, not every other season but every single time they step on the court. I’m from Southeast DC and there aren’t a lot of athletes that go on to have successful sporting careers from places that I’m from. That WILL and HAS to change. We see what people of color can do when given the proper tools to succeed. Who better to provide that for them than someone who can relate to them? Who know’s what it’s like to not have opportunities because “that’s just the way it is.” I have goals planned out for the next ten years that will make sure that the sport of volleyball grows to the level that I know it can be at. Not only on the entry-level but also on the international level as well. Which is why I hopped on the chance to be interviewed by y’all. Which, thank you for reaching out to me. I have been trying to figure out a way to get my message out into the universe that not only on social media! I guess you found me instead…
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Has it been a smooth road? Yes and no…
Yes, it’s been a smooth road because I know quite a few people down in South Florida that genuinely want to help me succeed. They have allowed me to get footage of them playing. Which has turned into content for both my YouTube channel/Haikyuu Podcast and Instagram. Plus, it’s Florida, so you know the weather is going to cooperate for the most part. Indoor, grass and sand volleyball are all at my fingertips. With plenty of people to cycle through without my content getting boring.
No, it hasn’t been easy due to the lack of funds. As stated before, I have quite the goals for myself. I know there will come a time where I can just pick up the phone and make things happen. However, I’m not there yet. I’m still in the baby stages of my company. It’s not like I’m going to stop anytime soon or give up on my dreams. I’ve gone long enough not trusting my gut and allowing other people to dictate what it means for ME to be happy. Those days are no more! Yes, it’s frustrating to not be able to take a quality picture with an actually camera. Or to have an actually desktop that I can edit all of my footage on. However, on the flip side, I’ve learned to not be so hard on myself. I’m running a company, not a country! Nothing worth having comes instantly or even overnight. I guess this part isn’t really a hard “no” but more of a “meh.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In volleyball, you tend to have one or the other. On one hand, you may have a volleyball company that specializes in the development on athletes. Either that be with volleyball clubs, private lessons, etc. From there, they will put some highlights up on their social media accounts to help draw attention to their organization. On the other hand, you will have organizations that focus on holding events for those volleyball clubs to showcase their athletes talents on something as small as a local tournament or on the international level like the Olympics. Sure, you may even find a volleyball club that HOST an event but it’s not through them. It’s through another organization like the NCAA, AVP, FIVB, etc. Crossing Courts aims to be a “one-stop shop” for ALL THINGS volleyball. If I’m going to take the time to build a program, I want to be the one who dictates what light my creation is shown in.
For example, one of my goals is to have an international volleyball tournament held in different regions around the world. Whichever teams make it out of their region will all meet in one location to see “who the best team is in the world!” However, there’s a kick!! The brackets will all be decided by the fans to take the hype to another level. Each time the tournament goes to another level, the brackets criteria will change as well. That way, teams in the tournament truly have to be the best in order to move on to the next step. It keeps it fresh throughout the entire tournament and it keeps the fans involved every step of the way. I could tell you about it in person/via call but to type it all out would be… time-consuming! Simply put, Crossing Courts will be the middle ground where reality and fiction coexist in harmony.
Another thing I love doing is getting local businesses involved in our events. I never understood why these tournaments only stick with the huge international brands for their tournaments. There are so many talented women and men around the world that have phenomenal products and ideas and NO ONE is paying them any attention. My events will be a way to highlight local costumes, cuisines, and ways of life. However, magnified to level that ensures that they and their families are set for the future. Think about it, how cool does it feel when you go out of town and you are able to go to a restaurant that you discovered on Instagram, YouTube, T.V. Show, etc.? You’re probably looking forward to it the whole plane ride there and not only that. But you know that the service that you get is going to be unlike anything you have had previously in your travels. I get excited just thinking about the conversations I’m going to have with people I never even knew existed. People who are spending their hard-earned money to be a part of something that is revolutionary. Hard-earned money from jobs that you know they DON’T want to be at. To me, money represents time that a person will never get back. Sure, money comes and goes but time…You don’t get time back. So, for anyone who spends their time/money to be a part of what I have going on…I consider it the highest privilege. I’m telling you, Crossing Courts is going to change not only the volleyball game but all sports that I get my hands on. More from that later on though.
What matters most to you?
Just like Aretha Franklin said, “…R.E.S.P.E.C.T.!” Plain and simple. It doesn’t matter what language someone speaks or where they’re from, people know when you are being kind to them. They also know when you’re being a…we’ll say “butthead” towards them. Whats the age ‘ol saying? “Treat others as you would want done to you!” Recently, there has been a lack of respect on all plains. I mean, I’m a 31y/o, black, gay man who started a volleyball company for people who have been counted out or just outright disrespected. I know my story has the potential to touch a lot of people worldwide. It started with me finding love for myself and now I’m at a point where all I want to do is give love. Not sure why but how I’m wired. Maybe it comes from not feeling that love when I was younger. My first name may not be Rosetta and my last name may not be Stone. However, love is a universal language shared by all. If you expect someone to give a damn about you, you in turn need to be able to give out love. Period.
Contact Info:
- Email: crossingcourts@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossingcourts/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Lw6mFffkFFP6DglA11UNA/featured
- Other: https://www.reddit.com/user/CrossingCourts
