Port Adelaide development coach Jason Williams’ mission as a coach is to become the best mentor he possibly can for footballers. 

Since arriving at Alberton at the end of 2023, he’s helped develop players in the forward line, and earlier this year, he travelled to Perth as the assistant coach of the Indigenous All-Stars, a game in which four Power players featured.  

His mission as a human being reaches beyond supporting those who are already in a high-performance environment – he’s working to reduce the financial barrier for First Nations young people to play sport. 

The idea started with the creation of a coffee brand, but would soon evolve into so much more than a few bags of beans. 

Two years ago, Williams, a proud Noongar man, along with friend and former Essendon player Jake Long, created Game Time Coffee, a completely Indigenous-owned company designed to bring people together. 

“Jake and I used to work together, and we would obviously get a coffee every morning as mates,” Williams reflected. 

“We felt like coffee was a great place to start because two people sit down, have a coffee together, share stories about their lives, and come together from two completely different worlds. And we just thought it'd be really cool to hypothetically have a seat at the table, and that seat at the table would be with our coffee.” 

Once the coffee brand was established, the next phase was always going to have a charity focus – one that provided a platform for up-and-coming First Nations athletes to work toward their sporting goals. 

“At the time, we were talking about starting a business for purpose, and the purpose was to support young people in sport.” 

And so, the Game Time Coffee Sports Fund was born. 

Williams’ motivation behind the venture was inspired by his own upbringing and past experiences, as one of five kids largely raised by a single mother in regional Western Australia. 

Growing up in the small town of Wagin, 225 kilometres south-east of Perth, his childhood taught him independence and resilience from a young age.  

“We lived in government housing, and there were often lots of people living in the same house,” he said. 

“Drugs and alcohol are really big issues in the community I'm from…until I was probably 15 or 16, they were things that were quite normal for me to see. I didn't really know that they weren't normal until I got a little bit older.” 

Williams’ relationship with his parents was complex, and he lost contact with his father at a young age. In his late teens, he received the news that his dad had died. 

“I got call one night that he passed away, and I didn't really ever get to mend my relationship with him, which is something that I've lived with for most of my life. 

“I didn't really get to have the greatest relationship with him, but I always loved my dad. I knew that he loved me…but I definitely grew up not really feeling love all the time.” 

Williams was a talented young athlete himself, and as a child, he relocated across the country to Victoria, where he later went on to represent Vic Metro under 18s, before grasping an opportunity with Port Melbourne in the VFL. 

After a serious knee injury, he turned his hand to coaching – first in the Coates Talent League, then the VFL and eventually, he landed the head coach roles at Bacchus Marsh and in the AFL Indigenous talent programs. It was only a couple of years later that he found himself at Port Adelaide. 

For the 31-year-old, watching young people thrive is the most rewarding element of coaching, and by establishing the sports fund, he knew he could make a bigger and more meaningful impact. 

“Growing up myself being from a lower socio-economic family, funding for sport was really hard,” he said. 

“My stepfather came into my life when I was nine years old. Without his support, I don’t know how I would have played sport. I played basketball and football all the way until I was 20 years old, and without my stepfather I would have never had access to playing elite sport. 

“One of the big things for me that I realised when I was younger is that having a uniform and boots makes you feel like you belong. And I went through stages of my junior footy career, where I had the same pair of boots for two or three years. I couldn't afford to get new ones.  

“And I just remember seeing kids show up every year with two or three pairs of new boots, and I just remember how that made me feel. So I definitely wanted to play a role in taking some of that pressure away from Indigenous young people and their families too.” 

While still in its infancy, the Game Time Coffee Sports Fund is deep into exploring the mechanics of how it can best help as many people as possible. 

Williams and his business partner Long have already made strong progress with their fundraising efforts, and the pair have now begun backing a young martial artist. 

“We'll certainly sponsor athletes that are not in pathways or systems that have heaps of funding,” he said.  

“We've started sponsoring a Muay Thai fighter in Western Australia. With combat sports, you often have to fund all your training, unless people happen to give it to you for free. 

“But then there'll also be some community stuff too, where we'll give grants to certain applicants each year, and that hopefully pays for their registration for the next year, and maybe some boots and uniform, or any sort of equipment they need to play the sport.” 

Williams’ long-term vision is for the fund it for it to live on as long as possible, and for those who access it to enjoy their sport, find their community, and maybe even take their skills to an elite level. 

“I'd love to see it grow into a full non-profit where we are growing every year, we're able to raise more money, but then we're also able to continually sponsor young Indigenous athletes,” he said. 

The pride on Williams’ face when he speaks on the topic is unmistakable, while his passion clearly stems from a sense of responsibility he feels to give back. 

“I've had so many people support me over the years…I know that I couldn't be where I am without those people,” he said. 

“The sports fund is my way of playing that role for as many people as I can. Without fully knowing them and meeting them and being able to walk along the whole journey with them, I know that through my sports fund, I can do that in a way.” 

You can contribute to the cause and support young First Nations athletes by donating today to the Game Time Coffee Sports Fund.