Work Reveals Want: Arhmad Branch continues to write his own story

By Brandon Haynes
For the Leader

An all-state football star, a standout basketball talent and a Homecoming King.

Those are all ways to describe Festus senior Arhmad Branch, but they don’t tell the full story of
the latest budding sports star right in our backyard.
Branch, 17, is the son of April Williams and Leslie Williams as well as the eldest brother to
Leuntae Williams, 15, and Aaliyah Williams, 9. He grew up in New Madrid, Missouri, a city
located in the southeast corner of the state and one that has a total population of 2,705 residents.
Festus High School, for comparison, has slightly more than 900 students in grades 9 through 12
alone. That transition, from a rural town into a growing suburban population, presented quite the
shift for Branch, who moved to Festus in fourth grade, as his childhood progressed.
“There’s 50 families down there,” Branch said. “Everybody knows everybody...so when I moved
up here, it was a big change. I had to get used to it.”
Branch described the transition as “rough” due to the adjustments and learning curve that came
with interacting with an entirely new student body and population. Despite those challenges,
however, a current teammate of his actually made the move much easier.
“I met, it was actually the first day in my homeroom class, Logan Cash, he’s on our basketball
team,” Branch said. “That was like my first friend, and I (had) only met him for one day, and he
invited me to his little birthday party.”
Cash, a fellow senior and 11.1 point-per-game scorer, took Branch under his wing, opening up
more opportunities for the quiet, unknown transfer student and introducing him to an entirely
new group of people that would soon become like a family to him.
“It just feels like it was God's plan,” Branch said. “It literally could have went the whole opposite
way. Nobody could have liked me. I could have been disrespectful. I could have acted like I
acted when I lived down in New Madrid when I came up here, I had to change everything.”
Growing up in New Madrid, Branch said motivation was difficult to find, and the trajectory for
him in that city could have looked much different. Instead, the new destination has become a
blessing in disguise, giving him an opportunity to become a respected role model for others.
“I think the bigger town helped (Branch) from getting into the smaller problems that will lead to
bigger problems,” April Williams said. “He could choose any day now to turn left, but he still
continues and strives to go the right way.”
Branch’s drive and effect on others are qualities that are already having an impact on those
around him, and even amongst the younger generation of Festus athletes.
“One of my happiest memories was after the third game of my junior year of football, so I
probably got 400 receiving yards (and) six touchdowns in three games,” Branch said. “I get on
my phone and Josh Schirmer...sent me a video and his son is in the backyard.”
“He's playing (and) he has like some blow up defenders. So, he's running around them, and he
scores in their backyard. And he's like, touchdown, No. 1 Arhmad (Branch). From that moment,
right there, I never realized how much I could impact kids from just watching me”
That example and Branch’s decision, to continue a path that inspires others, is something that
both of his head coaches—AJ Ofodile, of Festus football, and Jason Therell, of Festus boys’
basketball—noted when discussing his impact in their respective sports.
“On our team, and in school, he’s capable of being able to mingle and be friends with a variety
of different people,” Threll said. “It doesn’t matter where they come from, what age they are,
what race they are, Arhmad is good at being able to navigate a bunch of different groups and be
friends with a lot of different people.”
“We have a core value in our program that says work reveals want,” Ofodile said. “This speaks
to your real motivation, and your real dedication and commitment to whatever causes. (Branch
has) done a great job of putting in that work.”
Those viewpoints shed light into the individual that Branch is and showcase how he is writing
his own story.
A Tale Unlike Any Other
Less than two years ago, Arhmad Branch played his first high school football game.
Now, he is preparing to join a collegiate program at the next level.
“Growing up, I always wanted to be an Allen Iverson,” Branch said. “My junior year, I finally
came out (and) talked to Coach Ofodile...I got into the weight room, and then I (thought) ‘okay
I’m getting bigger. I think that I can have a way with football too.’”
That decision paid off, as Branch transformed into a First-Team All-State wide receiver after
catching 48 passes for 897 yards and totaling 15 touchdowns throughout the entirety of the 2022
season.
“It’s been fun because he’s made so much progress,” Ofodile said. “I think as he started
developing from an overall standpoint, I think he's started to gain some confidence in that realm
and started working harder and harder.”
Ofodile, who spent time in the NFL as well as several collegiate programs, including Mizzou,
served as a mentor for Branch, guiding him in the best practices to take care of his body. In time,
the hard work paid off.
“One area that I would point to, for basketball and football, is he has really been dedicated to the
weight room for these last couple of years,” Therell said. “You can see that in his development
physically. He’s went from a very slight build kid as a freshman and sophomore to now, he’s one
of the stronger kids in our school.”
The determination has paid dividends on the basketball court as well. Branch is averaging 20.3
points, 5.9 assists and 4.3 steals per game to guide the Tigers to a 6-1 start to the season.
“Specifically, this year, I think he’s been really locked into what we’re doing,” Therell said. “His
maturity level is very high, and he’s become a really good kid to coach and a great teammate.”
Therell added that Branch’s love of the game and passion for winning have become primary
motivators for him on the court, as he’s taken on a larger leadership role to lead a group of more
inexperienced Tigers to victories.
“I try to lead with my actions more than my voice,” Branch said.
Although Branch may not showcase the vocal leadership that fellow athletes may, his approach
and determination appear to be motivating factors for other players wherever he plays. Ofodile
referred to him as a “tone-setter,” while Therell added that Branch steps up when it matters most,
mentioning, "the higher the stakes, the better he plays.”
That mindset translates into Branch’s social life too, where he has become a listening ear for all
who need help. Whether it be a stranger or a lifelong best friend, the senior is open to talking and
understanding the challenges someone is facing.
“He can take a cloudy day and turn it into a sunny day,” April Williams said.
“He’s got all these natural, great personality traits that make him endearing to a lot of people,”
Ofodile added.
Those qualities once again point back toward the growth that Branch has undergone, showcasing
the potential that still exists in the future for the young Jefferson County star.
“It’s unbelievable (and) very emotional, to see our oldest kid lead the pack, but look how he’s
leading it. It’s just unbelievable,” April Williams said.
The Road Ahead
Amidst this high school basketball season, Branch will also be tasked with determining his future
at the collegiate level.
The senior, who has played basketball nearly his entire life, has chosen to play football at the
next level, building upon a legacy that began just two years ago when Branch first suited up for a
high school football game.
“(Football) is what I’m getting most looked at,” Branch said. “It’s a fun game (and) I feel like I
can learn a lot. I don’t know where I’m going yet. We’re going to find out February 1 st, and I
want to go to major in nursing and become a travel nurse.”
Branch said his dream school would be Louisiana State University, but he would envision an
opportunity to play at a program like the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. His decision is still up
in the air, however, leaving room for new opportunities and offers. Regardless of the destination
though, his mother will always find a way there.
“I want him to be able to attend a college that is family orientated,” Williams said. “Not too far,
but if it’s far, I’ve already come up with a plan, like I’m going to work my work schedule around
trying to attend his events.”
As for Branch’s decision to pursue nursing, that also follows in the footsteps of his mother, who
recently became a Registered Nurse. The two of them share a unique bond, having grown up
alongside each other after April gave birth to Arhmad in the ninth grade.
Together, they’ve helped to raise each other up, emphasizing the importance of family in
Branch’s life.
“My family, they mean the most (to me),” Branch said. “They’ve been there, and whenever I’ve
been at my lowest, like where we came from before we moved up (to Festus). It wasn’t the best
environment, so I know exactly where they came from … so it's easy to talk to them about what I
go through.”
Therell said the support extends to games, where members of Branch’s family come to support
him and push him to be the best athlete he can be. It’s those connections and support systems,
according to Threll, that have aided in the development and success of Branch.
Through hard work, dedication and a passionate family, Branch has rewritten his script into one
that others will look to when facing similar challenges.
“My advice (to others) would probably be—believe in yourself and just be you,” Branch said.
“There's always going to be down moments, there's always going to be the best moments, but
cherish the bad moments and make it build you as a man or build you as a person.”