In July 2019, Tenterden teenager Aileen Williams accepted a soccer scholarship at McKendree University in Illinois with plans to pursue a professional career stateside.
Having received over 30 scholarship offers from universities in the US, the midfielder, who formally played for Gillingham Ladies FC, decided to join McKendree, a private university which is the oldest in the state of Illinois (192 years old).
Despite experiencing a first semester across the pond, Aileen’s time as a Bearcat was, unfortunately, cut short due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, which meant the talented footballer had to come back home to continue her studies.
Unclear as to what the future holds through such extremely unprecedented times, CommunityAd caught up with Aileen to discuss her love of football, current situation and future goals…
What are your earliest memories of playing football?
My earliest memories of playing football begin at Tenterden Junior school. I remember playing every break and lunch and being the only girl to do so. However, that never used to faze me as at that age I was playing football solely for enjoyment.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in football?
My biggest accomplishment so far has to be when I got offered a $30,000 scholarship to play at McKendree University. The recruitment process of getting to America was extremely exciting but equally stressful. Having spent months talking to around 20 different coaches who all had an interest, I remember the Skype call when I accepted my offer to McKendree. It was a euphoric moment of ‘wow, this is really happening’, the hard work finally felt as though it had paid off.
Who would you say has supported you the most throughout your career?
I’m grateful to have had a strong support network throughout all my years of playing, but without doubt, my mum and dad have been with me every step. As I got older, my passion continued to develop. As such, opportunities presented themselves and I was always encouraged to take them. I spent 2 years at Gillingham Regional Talent Centre and Kent County, after which I was selected to play for Gillingham Ladies, in the Women’s National League where I played for 2 more years.
My dad used to drive me to all the training and match days and continued to support me in America, as did my mum. Additionally, I was fortunate to have teachers at Highworth who supported me on my journey to America. Particularly Mrs. Samson who supported me throughout Highworth and played such a huge part of the time I spent there. I will be forever grateful for the support and encouragement she gave me.
Having played for Gillingham Ladies and experienced a first semester in Illinois, how would you compare the level of woman’s football in American to England?
At the university level, sport in America is treated like life or death. The demand for the athletes is extremely high. The structure of sport is completely dominating over any other aspect of life at university as a student-athlete. From 6am weight lifting session 3 times a week to training 3 times a day during pre-season and only one day off a week, my life entirely revolved around soccer. Despite only having done one year in the States, so far, the discipline that life as a student-athlete taught me is something I will never forget.
What are your future goals? Do you have a 5-10-year vision of where you would like to be in regards to your football career and studies?
Due to COVID-19, I decided it would be best to stay in England for a year. Therefore, I am currently continuing my studies at Surrey University with the option to return to America next year (2021) or I can stay on at Surrey and complete my degree in England. I am in a fortunate position that I still have options as to what my future will look like. As of right now, I’m just focusing on myself for a while, staying fit and healthy and continuing to train in football. For everyone, the world is a bit blurry and I’m not sure what the future will look like. I’m staying optimistic and figuring things out along the way for now.
Having had your first semester cut short due to COVID-19, how have you been able to fill your time and keep the same ambition towards your vision/goals despite the delay?
For me, I knew that I couldn’t let all of my training just go to waste so I made sure to stay active throughout lockdown and keep my fitness up. I was able to spend time with my family, after having spent the best part of a year away from them. Having not played football for nearly 6 months, it highlighted my passion for the sport and how much I missed playing. If anything, it motivated me more to make sure I was in shape for when I got to play again. Fortunately, I have started training again at university and I’m thoroughly enjoying being back on the pitch!
Do you have any news of when you will be able to continue your studies and travel back out to America?
As of right now, I’m not sure whether or not I will return to America to continue studying or stay at Surrey. There are so many factors to consider, it’s a decision that will come with time. For now, I am planning to spend the summer of 2021 in Canada and America to see my friends and my teammates, all of whom I miss greatly. Hopefully, by then there won’t be any travel restrictions.
Away from football, what are your hobbies and interests and what do you enjoy most about living in Tenterden?
Having lived in the Midwest of America, in St Louis, Missouri with such a flat landscape and the city itself is very modern, it’s such a contrast to Tenterden. During the initial full lockdown, I felt very grateful to live in a town that was surrounded by countryside with lots of amazing views. It makes for good long runs and walking routes and certainly helped to feel calm and grounded during such a bizarre time.
CommunityAd looks forward to hearing more about Aileen’s success in soccer. Find out more about the Bearcats in Illinois here, and keep an eye on your local community magazine for updates on our local celebrity, Aileen Williams.