Hometown Hillsdale: Joe Williamson, ’03
Written by Stephanie Gordon
As a Hillsdale College student-athlete, Joe Williamson, ’03, learned both physical and mental disciplines on and off the football field. Appreciative of his well-rounded experience at the College, Joe has shared and applied the lifelong disciplines he learned at Hillsdale in his current roles as math teacher and head varsity football coach at Hillsdale High School (HHS). Setting goals, working hard to achieve them, and adapting to adversity is simply a way of life for Joe.
Growing up in nearby Defiance, Ohio, Joe was holding out for a Division I offer his senior year of high school, but instead, Hillsdale College came calling. “Hillsdale recruited me, and now looking back, I sometimes ask myself if I really knew how lucky I was that [Hillsdale] had a scholarship for me in June,” he said.
The former Chargers quarterback knew Hillsdale had an excellent job placement rate and a respected football program, so it was an easy “yes.” “I appreciated the teammates I had and the friendships I made,” Joe said of his football experience. “We all came from various backgrounds and belief systems, and we made the college experience our own by being together and supporting other Chargers athletes. The camaraderie I experienced with my teammates was irreplaceable.”
Joe loved working with kids during a summer youth football camp at the College, which helped him determine his future path: teacher and coach. He majored in math and minored in physical education. He praised his professors, calling them “impressive.” “They were very caring and proud of the College’s mission and how Hillsdale was independent from the federal government,” Joe said. “They were free to teach what they felt was valuable and important. I was blessed with a good experience.”
Joe student-taught with a local math teacher at HHS. After graduation, he accepted a job at Litchfield Community Schools and coached wide receivers at Hillsdale College with former Head Coach Keith Otterbein for four years. His path then took him to Concord Community Schools and Jonesville Community Schools, where he coached football in some capacity. In 2021, he started working at Hillsdale Community Schools as a high school math teacher.
“I know what Hillsdale Community Schools believes in, and I align with its educational philosophy,” said Joe. “I know the district doesn’t just believe in hard work. They value math, reading, social studies, and science. How can you comprehend and express thoughts and appreciate history if you can’t read? My wife and children are in the district, so it was a good move for our family overall.”
Working with a staff made up of several alumni, Joe knows their hearts are in the right place at Hillsdale Community Schools. “There’s a lot of pride here at HHS, and we all want to see the school succeed. It’s great to see that the students and athletes are hungry for success.”
Joe took over the HHS football program in 2024 after former Head Coach Marc Lemerand retired. “I didn’t coach the first year I was here,” Joe said. “I wanted to get acclimated. Marc had asked me to be on his staff, so I was his assistant coach for two years before taking over.”
By translating the lessons he learned on Hillsdale College’s football field to his current coaching role, Joe focuses on real-life, lifelong character-building skills. “I am training boys to become men. Do I want to win? Absolutely. But, the real win will be when I see players in ten years who have a job and have started a family and are good husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. Coaching is a very serious job, and I understand its importance.”
Building a positive culture is number one for Joe and HHS football. Through challenges and upperclassmen team leaders, the culture will continue to develop. “Athletes can earn ‘points’ through good grades, weight room attendance, community service, or cheering on another HHS sport. The support system is key to achieving goals, and football is the ultimate consummate sport.”
Joe is married to former Chargers athlete Erin Dowd Williamson, ’01. They have three children: Heath, Maya, and Max. Together, they enjoy the small community and love returning to campus to attend Chargers games. “I like the quiet,” said Joe. “I feel safe in our community. It’s crazy to think I would have stayed here in this area. Sometimes I felt so planless at age 22, but this was a good plan.”
Joe said coaching with Otterbein made him realize that the players are the product and the most important piece of the program. “I tell my students and athletes to invest in themselves—the product,” said Joe. “They might fall short of their goal, but they can walk with their head held high knowing they did their best with no regrets. In life, they’ll lose a job or a loved one. Tragedies surround us, but they will have past experiences to lean on to go through trying times.
“I’m training my replacements,” concluded Joe. “I’m going to leave this world, and I want to be more of a spectator. I want my kids, my students, and my football players to be better than me, and I will work to support them in any way I can. That’s really what it’s all about—developing quality young men and students who can handle adversity and aren’t afraid to achieve something they want.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. She enjoys baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, Detroit Lions football, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in September 2025