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Lydia Williams on Aboriginal upbringing and sense of identity – ‘I hold that in everything that I do in life’
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Published 19/07/2023 at 09:25 GMT+1
Legendary Australian goalkeeper Lydia Williams has had an astonishing journey to the top of world football. In the latest episode of 'World At Their Feet', Williams discusses her journey from a small mining town and the important lessons she learnt from her parents along the way. Williams will be a key part of the Australian team looking to do the home crowd proud at the Women's World Cup.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 03: Lydia Williams of the Matildas poses during an Australia Matildas portrait session ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup at La Trobe University Sports Fields on July 03, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cia
Image credit: Getty Images
In the latest episode of World at their Feet, a discovery+ series ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, we hear from Brighton and Australia goalkeeper Lydia Williams on her incredible story.
Williams, 35, was born in Kalgoorlie, an old mining town in Western Australia to an Aboriginal father and an American mother.
In the episode, Williams talks about her parents’ path to each other, as well as the emotional struggles of her father and the lessons and beliefs that she learned from them.
"I grew up in Western Australia, in Kalgoorlie, which is the gold mining capital of Australia," she says.
"When I was growing up, in a country town, I think every weekend was dedicated to sports, from basketball to football obviously.
"When I was young, my dad was really passionate about the indigenous side and being Aboriginal and how proud he was of the culture, so we'd always go out in the desert.
"He would teach me how to use bushcraft skills and basically living out in the wild.
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 11: Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams poses for a photograph during the Australia Matildas World Cup squad public presentation at Federation Square on July 11, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Image
Image credit: Getty Images
"He was a part of the Stolen Generation. As a part of the policy of legislation across Australia, where Aboriginal people were removed from the traditional lands and settings.
"We were brought into a Western way of living. They were hard times for Aboriginal people. He never grew up with an education. He left school at a very young age because of all the bullying and harassment.
"He turned to alcohol to hide the pain and he took that path into religion, and he became that person, to help other Aboriginal people in the same spot to find hope in the midst of despair.
"My mum is American. She was in New York working on Wall Street, and her church had a mission trip to Australia. So she packed up everything. She lived in a tent in the middle of the desert, and she helped out women that were going through domestic violence.
"During that time she met my dad and they fell in love. A big aspect of who she is, is being able to embrace, not only her aboriginality but also embrace that she is the product of two cultures coming together.
"I remember a couple of times when my mum would go on a trip and leave us some money for food for a couple of days. My dad would give it to someone on the street who needed it more than us. Seeing that generosity that they extended to other people really helped me to see what life is really about.”
When Williams was eleven the family moved to the Australian capital, Canberra, where her path to becoming one of the best goalkeepers in the world started.
A year after the move, the Sydney Olympics took place in 2000, where Williams was inspired by legendary 400m runner Cathy Freeman.
"[Moving to Canberra] I didn't know anybody. The best way to do that is by joining sports teams outside of school," Williams said.
"So, my mum asked me what I wanted to do and I said 'football' but we came late to registration day. The only position left was the goalkeeper.
"Growing up my role model was Cathy Freeman. Yeah, I remember watching this [Sydney Olympics] on our TV set and just being like: 'This is crazy, it's an Indigenous woman that literally captivated all of Australia.'
"I remember that time when she won the gold medal, and someone passed her an Aboriginal flag and the Australian flag. She ran with both of them. That was a great inspiration for Aboriginal people.”
However with Williams at the age of 15, the family suffered a devastating blow.
"When I was 15 my dad got really sick. The doctor came up to me and he's like, 'Your dad only has a day or two to live. The cancer is too aggressive'. Yeah, that was it. So, we had our last conversation together right there and then, and I remember the last thing he told me was that he'll always be proud of me, and always be looking after me.
"So, I hold that in everything that I do in life. And as long as I'm proud of what I'm doing and support what my mum and dad would have, then I know I'm doing the right thing.”
On the pitch, Australia have been progressing and are considered by the bookmakers as one of the second group of favourites in front of their home crowd.
Although they are still considered a step below the likes of England and the USA, Williams says that she feels that the team are progressing and can build off their run to the semi-finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
"In Rio [at the 2016 Olympic Games], it was at a time when it all started, and I think we as a team were coming into ourselves.
"We were definitely still maturing.
"We were a good team but I think we needed that consistency of playing at high-level competition.
"We made it all the way to the game against Brazil, and lost in the penalty shootout.
"The beauty with Australians is that they take every disappointment and build on it, and I definitely think that's what we did.
"We don't want to feel like that again. The Olympics in Tokyo was definitely different.
"The bronze medal play-off, I think it's the furthest we ever got, and it was our first taste of, like, 'we can win something really significant'.
"For the World Cup, I like to think that we are quietly confident, but you also can't think too far ahead.”
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