Photo by Marisa Padilla
As the ball soars toward her, senior Lynn Williams jumps up over the opposing goalkeeper. In the air, the keeper catches her legs, and as Williams reaches out a hand to brace her fall, her elbow shatters, putting an early end to her season.
“I knew from the second that I fell that I broke my arm, but I didn’t realize how bad it was until I got to the hospital,” Williams said. “I knew my season was over, and I was heartbroken.”
Although Williams was named to the NSCAA All-West Region first team as well as the All-WCC first team, her dislocated, shattered elbow ended her season four games too short.
During the re-constructive surgery, the surgeon inserted metal into Williams’ arm and moved one of her nerves. Williams underwent hours of rehab to regain the motor skills, the strength and the range of motion in her arm.
In addition to rehab, Williams worked alongside teammates and trainers to prepare for this upcoming season.
“I hope to just leave a legacy or an impact on the team,” she said. “I obviously want to win a national championship but also build stronger relationships with my teammates. I only have one more year here, and I want to leave with no regrets.”
During the preseason of her junior year, Williams also tore the labrum in her hip. With a WCC title in mind, Williams continued to play through the pain. Williams started the first 15 games, posted 11 goals and recorded three assists.
Head Coach Tim Ward said Williams is an athletic, hard working, unselfish, maturing athlete and a fantastic human being both on and off of the field.
“Some days she will be the match winner, some days she will be the goal creator, but through and through, if she just leads by example, our team is going to be strong because of that, no doubt,” Ward said.
According to senior captain Ally Holtz, playing with Williams has been nothing short of rewarding. Holtz said Williams’ physical, technical, tactical and competitive capabilities coupled with an inspiring quality that only makes her teammates want to improve.
“I couldn’t be more thankful to have a teammate like Lynn who will be honest with me and continue to hold me accountable for my personal goals,” Holtz said. “She doesn’t only focus on making herself a better player, but she takes on the responsibility to make sure everyone is doing the best they can do. If she knows a teammate can do better, then she will not let them settle, which is a huge asset to our team in addition to her talent.”
Williams was cleared for full contact May 1 and ended up going to national camp in June. Her participation in the camp caused setbacks in her recovery, yet Williams still continued to train and returned to the field for the preseason opener.
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Follow Marissa Yoshizawa on Twitter: @MarissaYosh
