NJSA would like to congratulate Deekota Williams, 16, of Walters, Oklahoma as a youth spotlight member.  Deekota is the son of Jerry and Vonda Williams and has one younger brother Mavrick.  Deekota is currently a sophomore at Central High School where he is involved with football, basketball, baseball, showing pigs, and FFA.  Outside of school, Deekota spends the majority of his free time simply hanging out with his friends and family.

Deekota started his show career off with a bang, winning champion Duroc gilt at the Oklahoma Classic as a two year old.  Since then he has broadened his horizons, eventually picking up an NJSA membership when he was nine years old allowing him to show at NJSA shows, including World Pork Expo, Southwest Regional, and the American Royal.  So far though, World Pork Expo has been Deekota’s favorite show.  He liked getting to see all of the different people from all over the country, along with enjoying all of the different food that is provided at the show.  As for the different NJSA contests, Deekota likes the Judging the best because of having a natural feel it, along with how competitive the contest gets.  It’s this competitiveness throughout the different hogs shows, not just the contest, that Deekota enjoys while showing.  When asked about that further Deekota explained, “I just really like the competitiveness because I’m pretty competitive.” He went on to add “but I also like getting to meet all the new people, and getting to be with the friends that I have at the shows.”

Deekota’s involvement with the NJSA started with his parents.  When the Southwest Regional was in Witchitaw Falls his parents heard about it and wanted to attend, along with wanting to pick up more shows in the show pig scene.  Since being a member, Deekota’s most memorable moment was having 1st place Duroc gilt at the Southwest Regional because “it was my first NJSA show, and was just really cool.”  Aside from having 1st place gilt at the Southwest Regional, Deekota has also sold a Duroc gilt that he raised himself for $1000 at WPX, and outside of NJSA, Deekota had Reserve Hamp gilt, 1st and 2nd place Duroc gilts, and 7th overall Duroc gilt at the Oklahoma Youth Expo.

With that listing, it’s no surprise that Deekota’s favorite NSR hog breed proves to be the Duroc.  However, it is due to raising them his whole life that brought about Deekota’s appreciation for the breed.  As a junior member of the NJSA, Deekota would like the younger members to know that NJSA is “a really good program, there are lots of people to meet, and it is just really good.” 
As the future approaches, Deekota plans to go to college and get a degree in Sports Medicine, or the very least the medical field.  His mom is currently a cancer nurse, and Deekota hopes to follow a similar path.  As a final word, Deekota wants to thank his parents and his brother for all of the support and help that they have given him through the years.

The NJSA would like to congratulate Deekota on being such an outstanding role model and NSJA member, and wish him the best of luck at all of his future endeavors and shows!

Submitted by Cassie Holloway, 2011 NJSA Intern