Perseverance. If I had to choose one word that’s the one I’d use describe Lynn William’s journey to today. She was an 18-year old with one single offer to play big Division I college soccer, who wasn’t sure until the end of high school if she wanted to even play soccer in college or run track, and who, as a college player, dreamed to play for the USWNT despite not receiving her first call up to any national team until the U-23 level. The North Carolina Courage and USWNT forward persevered to say the least- she has 16 caps with the USWNT notching four goals for her country and has become a scoring force in the NWSL once for the Flash, now for the Courage. She pushed through injury and lack of recognition and worked her way to the highest level by always “trying to be the best Lynn Williams that she could be.” The 24-year old California native who’s spent the last four years transplanted on the East Coast doing what she loves everyday talked with me at length about her journey to 2018.
Hannah Kronick: When did you first start playing soccer?
Lynn Williams: I was a crazy child who had a lot of energy with a very active and athletic family, so my parents threw me into soccer and track when I was little. All of my friends played soccer and their dads coached us, so it became something fun to do with my friends after school. When I was 11 or 12 years old, there was an all-star team for the school and me and a few of my friends were picked for that all-star team two years in a row. That all-star team ended up being my first club team. That’s how I started and I really started to love it. Here we are 20 years later!
HK: How long did you run track? Obviously your speed in soccer is pretty unmatched. How was your experience growing up running track?
LW: I started when I was eight years old and went all the way through high school with track. I actually wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to college for track or soccer for a long time.
HK: How did you make that decision? You’re life might’ve been so different today if you chose track!
LW: Exactly! I was actually getting recruited more for track than I was for soccer. I was like “okay well I guess I am just not good enough at soccer, I will go run track in college.”
The entire article is accessible only to members of The Equalizer Extra. Already a member? Awesome! Please sign in below. If not, you can sign up below.
