Hall: Aaron Williams

The Pasco Invitational welcomes former Wilson of Tacoma High School all around high school and collegiate dual-sport athlete Aaron Williams to the Invite’s Hall of Fame. Aaron was born in July of 1960 and grew up in Tacoma. He was a devoted athlete playing sports year-round as a child.  He began running track in middle school and would eventually go on to win All-City Track honors in Tacoma in the hurdles and high Jump.  Aaron would go on to add the Long and Triple Jump in high school becoming a Narrows league standout in both football and Track.  Aaron was a 2-way starter for Wilson H.S. at Cornerback and Wide Receiver his junior and senior years. Throughout the winter months, Aaron trained for track and in the spring of 1977 broke the state record becoming the state of Washington’s 1st 50’0” Triple Jumper (50’3/4”). Aaron’s Triple Jump mark would stand for over 20 years. During his high school career, Aaron ran the 120 Yard High Hurdles in 14.1 and the 180 Yard Low Hurdles in 19.4.  He was also a 24’4” Long Jumper. Aaron is one of 2 individuals who have won 2 Outstanding Male Athlete of the Meet awards in Invite history.

Aaron earned a scholarship to the University of Washington where he would letter in both football and track. During his Husky track career, he would go on to triple jump 50’5”, long jump 25’5”, and run the collegiate high hurdles in 14.0.  He was a wide receiver on the 1981 Rose Bowl team that went 10-2 and defeated Iowa 28-0 on New Year’s Day eventually finishing 10th in the final AP poll. Aaron would finish his husky football career with 81 receptions and 1,386 yards from scrimmage.  Aaron’s 1980 football season with the Huskies saw his marks of 595 receiving yards (5th in the Pac-10), 5 receiving touchdowns (4th in the Pac-10) and 21.3 yards per catch (1st in the Pac-10). In 1980, he was 7th in the NCAA in 1980 in yards per reception.

Aaron and his son (Kasen - current Washington State Triple Jump record holder at 50’9 ¾”) are the only father and son in Washington State High School history to ever break the 50”0” barrier in the Triple Jump. They are the only father-son duo in state track and field to be the state record holder in the same event at any time in history.  Both ended up representing NFL teams – Aaron with the St. Louis Cardinals and Kasen with the Seattle Seahawks. 

He currently resides in Sammamish, Washington with the love of his life, wife Rhonda (a former Washington Husky also). He and his wife have had two of their children participate at the Pasco Invite. Daughter Kiara, a former hurdler and jumper who went to Arizona State on a soccer scholarship (playing 4 years for ASU) and son Kasen, who would go on to win state titles in all 3 jumps and eventually play football at Washington and in the NFL.