UPEI Panthers continue to stack midfield, adding Heather Williams to squad
Since signing on as head coach for UPEI Women’s Soccer, Lewis Page has been building his team from the back forward. After witnessing his young defence make great strides in 2021, Page’s attention has now turned toward improving the midfield.
Days after UPEI announced Lydia Hamill’s commitment, the Panthers have added another talented midfielder in Heather Williams.
The Cambridge, Ontario native, who will turn 18 in March, joins the Panthers after spending most of her playing career in the Rockwood FC Elite system.
“Rockwood has played a large part in my development as a player,” says Williams. “They are family to me. Having that type of team dynamic is important and hard to find.”
Following stints with the Ontario Player Development League and the Berlin Academy, Williams has since joined Coach Maria Soccer (CMS) Elite, where she continues to develop her skills. CMS is a highly regarded player development program run by Maria Procopio, who played for the under-19 Italian national team before suiting up for Gannon University, an NCAA Division Two team. Procopio is now considered one of the highest qualified female coaches in Canada.
“She (Procopio) runs a strong program that has developed a number of high-quality recruits, and Heather is one of them,” Page adds.
Williams is a box-to-box midfielder who possesses strong offensive skills and can create scoring opportunities for others. Her vision and accurate passing allow her to make the right reads on through passes that split the defence and give the forwards a chance to score more often. Her presence should help the Panthers improve their offensive production.
As a complete midfielder, Williams also takes pride in her defence and is willing to fill whatever role is asked of her at any moment.
“I adjust well to directions and can play as a defensive midfielder or even in the back line,” she explains. “I think it’s important to be able to adjust based on the different teams we play against.”
That flexibility is music to Page’s ears, but what is more enticing is the fact that she is comfortable playing on the left side of the field.
“Heather is a left-sided player, and they are rare, especially the good technical and tactical ones,” he says. “Heather will come in and compete for a place on this team—I expect her to make a big impact.”
With several young midfielders already on the roster, Williams is taking nothing for granted and understands she has plenty of work ahead before cracking the lineup.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to play in the AUS, and I plan on putting in some extra training to prepare,” she says. “I understand that UPEI is carrying a large roster, and I need to earn my spot. But I’ll be ready to compete.”
