By Tucker Paquette
Soon after Tamra Stokes stepped foot on Springfield College’s campus in the fall of 1985, she heard the tales of her prodigious predecessor on the track, Janet Williams.
“Everybody kept talking about ‘Janet, Janet, Janet,’” Stokes said. “‘Oh, she's like the new Janet.’ I think she may have come one time and I might have met her. I just heard she was so fast.”
Williams (‘86) set program records in the 100m and 200m in 1985, with respective times of 12.0 and 24.6 seconds. However, Stokes matched these marks in 1987, and to this day her and Williams remain tied for the school record in both races.
That’s right: the same two runners from nearly 40 years ago share the exact same time in not just one, but two events.
While Stokes and Williams never competed on the same team during their respective careers at Springfield, they certainly knew of one another. Williams saw Stokes train, getting a glimpse of the next potential superstar in women’s track and field at Springfield.
Interestingly enough, 38 years later, Stokes didn’t know the records she tied still stood. She figured they would have long been broken by now, but was pleasantly surprised to hear that her name still resides in Springfield’s archives. At the same time, however, pushing to set records wasn’t Stokes’ primary motivation for competing in the first place.
“That's amazing to have two records still stand and be tied for them in college,” Stokes said. “I mean, that's remarkable. I loved running, and track and field was my world – I wasn't doing it to set records.”
“I was just doing it because I loved running,” Stokes added. “And I wanted to be the first one to the finish line. I had no idea that I still held the record. I knew I had a record, but I for sure thought that it had been broken.”
Stokes, a transfer student who arrived on Alden Street ahead of her sophomore year, is also part of the quartet tied for the program record in the 1600m relay, set in 1987. Williams herself holds eight other school records across various indoor and outdoor events.
For Williams, her achievements serve as validation for the effort her and her fellow runners put in. The fact that she and another Springfield runner still stand alone for two different marks all these years later is something Williams is quite proud of.
“I know how hard we work at trying to better our times to beat out my own personal records,” Williams said. “And for us to wind up on that level together, still holding those records is a blessing. We pushed each other to help us get the best out of each other. To see that we were able to do that, and I don't know if by some miracle just matched the same time, it's unique. It's awesome. And it's an honor.”
Although Stokes and Williams never shared the track during a meet, they each have vivid memories of those they did compete with. Along with their record-breaking (and record-tying) performances, the team component of Springfield College track and field remains fresh in their minds.
Stokes specifically remembers the rowdy atmosphere during indoor track meets. The absence of bleachers brought everyone in the gym closer together, leading to unmistakable vocal support from her teammates and coaches.
“It was a good bunch of people,” Stokes said. “I can remember indoor track. They really, really cheer you on as you're coming around the track because you didn't have a lot of space on indoor tracks. Sometimes they didn't even have bleachers or anything, so you just hear your people.”
Williams feels the same, and believes meet days were the time to put all of the team’s preparation into action.
“Every meet to me was an opportunity to showcase what we did at Springfield and how hard we trained as a team,” Williams said. “I tell everyone this every time they ask me about track and field – although you're out there competing in your lane individually, it's what you do in practice, how hard your teammates push you and how you work together. They just help bring the best out of you. That propelled me to that level.”
Williams most certainly reached a high level, a fact that is backed up by a hefty collection of accolades. She was named an All-American in five events at the 1986 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships: the long jump, triple jump, high jump, 55m dash and the 55m hurdles.
This outstanding performance was a driving factor in Williams’ induction into the U.S Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Track and Field Athlete Hall of Fame in 2021.
Williams was Springfield College’s first ever student-athlete to receive this honor. She was also inducted into Springfield College’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, a recognition she values greatly, but was surprised by.
“I think every athlete dreams of being inducted into the Hall of Fame for the sport that they do, and you work to achieve that, but I never thought that would happen,” Williams said. “So when that came across, it almost floored me. I was overjoyed, and my family was overjoyed.”
39 years and two Hall of Fame inductions later, Williams still takes an interest in Springfield College track and field. Her affinity for the program, the sport and the school stem from a career defined by success, lifelong memories and a thorough understanding of the value of athletics.
“What I remember most is feeling like I was at home,” Williams said. “My coach and my teammates, they were my biggest cheerleaders and my best friends. Getting to compete for Springfield on that track every weekend was an awesome feeling.”
Williams’ effort to stay up to date with Springfield track and field highlights the impact the program had on her and the weight of her accomplishments.
“As I watch some of the girls and they compete, to have my name still in there is a true testament to me of how hard we worked as a team,” Williams said.
After their dominant college careers, both Stokes and Williams shifted their focus away from sports. Stokes had several different jobs, but eventually settled in as a teacher for over 20 years. She taught in Ohio and North Carolina, and retired four years ago to help take care of her ill mom.
Meanwhile, Williams entered the world of logistics and began working for a distribution center post-college. She still is part of that field today, while cherishing time with her nieces and nephews who participate in track and have taken an interest in her career at Springfield.
The memories Stokes and Williams have from their experiences at Springfield College shine a light on the impact their four years on campus had on them. But thanks to a quirky and jam-packed record book, their legacies will live on forever.