But patience and dedication has given Williams’ career the base on which to she can build a high rise. Much like building a house, laying the foundation and building below the surface, was the longest, most painstaking part. But any chance I got I knew I had to be ready,” Williams said. It would not come easy because we were so talented. I just kept working that season and into the off-season. “I knew I had to work to get to that contract. She again played sparingly in 2019, seeing action in three games as the North Carolina Courage repeated their NWSL Shield and Championship run. That theme continued the following season. While the Courage were on the main stage, winning both the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2018, Williams was working in the background. “It made me realize getting that playing time that I could play and I could hold my own and all I wanted to do was work harder to get to that point and be on the field more,” she says. That glimpse of game action was both validation for Williams and fuel for her competitive fire. She played sparingly for the month and was subsequently released after the players returned, continuing to train with the Courage for the rest of the season. She went through training camp unsigned, having to wait until the summer when international players departed to represent their country. But I was just grateful to be in the NWSL and having that chance to prove myself,” Williams said. But I think most college players going into the pros all get that gut check because you go from being the star most of your life to the bottom and having to prove yourself. “Coming Into the NWSL I did not know what to expect and I definitely was humbled. Williams’ jump to the professional game was met with growing pains, but as she reflects back five years ago, Williams recalls the opportunity outweighing the struggle. Williams is a shining example of what can be achieved with hard work, determination and perseverance and her journey is the embodiment of the resilient team that Courage Country has come to love in 2023.ĭrafted 40 th overall by the Courage in the 2018 NWSL Draft, Williams became the first-ever Texas Christian player drafted, paving the way for the likes of Messiah Bright – a second-round pick in this year’s draft and lining up across the field tonight for the Orlando Pride. But, for a late draft pick that was non-rostered and utilized primarily as a National Team replacement player for her first two full professional seasons, the road to a half-century professional soccer matches wasn’t always that clear and obvious. Looking today, it seems inevitable that the mainstay on the Courage back line would hit such a milestone. While the steps may look normal, the impact is high. She feels the cement path give way to grass as she takes the field for the North Carolina Courage road match-up with the Kansas City Current. Ryan Williams walks through the long, twisting tunnel at Children’s Mercy Park. It’s a humid, warm night in Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday, June 3, 2023.
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