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William Graves Jr. recalls sitting in his high school cafeteria when the track coach approached him. Graves had never run track at Southern Guilford. But the coach saw Graves perform as a running back on the football team and was impressed with his speed.

Coach Larry Ratliff had heard about his quickness from other students.

"Between them talking about him and my seeing him play football, I thought he was a kid who could have an extra opportunity at track and field," Ratliff said.

Turns out Ratliff was right. Graves excelled at track, eventually settling into a niche in the 400 meters. He recently graduated from Southern Guilford, where he was the first boy in school history to win any type of state championship.

This weekend, he hopes to further prove his ability at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. The meet, today through Saturday at N.C. A&T, will feature some of the best high school track athletes in the country.

Graves sees it as an opportunity to show where he ranks on a national level.

"I think this weekend is going to be another bright point in my life," he said. "I want to go win it. It's very possible."

Track has come naturally for Graves. Though he didn't start running until his sophomore year, he went on to become a three-time state champion. His success led him to concentrate more on the sport after originally being a football and wrestling star.

"I've always been fast, so it was just a matter of transferring my speed to become a track athlete," he said.

Strong motivation has helped, too. Ratliff credits Graves with always striving to achieve more.

"His work ethic in athletics is just beyond reproach," Ratliff said. "It's very impressive to have a kid who goes out there and gives it everything he has every day, even in practice. He's driven to be successful."

Football and wrestling no doubt helped to prepare him physically. But perhaps the biggest boost came from his father.

"He's a big inspiration," Graves said of William Graves Sr. "He helps me and pushes me to strive forth."

His dad is a former wrestler who is now a bodybuilder and personal trainer. He introduced his son to sports when Graves Jr. was a youngster, and he always has nudged his son to move past his previous goals.

"I wanted him to exceed farther than I did," his father said. "He has accomplished a lot of those goals. I've been strict on him, but it's paying off."

Graves will attend Livingstone College in the fall, where he plans to continue both football and track. A top finish in the Nike Outdoor Nationals would give him All-America recognition before he heads into his freshman year.

"I want to get to the point where I'm at the top and the top guys are chasing me down," Graves said. "I think I have the ability to do it."

Contact Joel Brown at 373-7091 or joel.brown@news-record.com