If Lydia Williams was not Australia's number one goalkeeper, you would have likely found her feeding the giraffes and educating visitors at the National Zoo & Aquarium.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
It all began after she volunteered as an education guide at the Canberra zoo, before she was offered a job - taking tours to see the various animals and feeding them - and studied to get her certificate in zoology.
The 33-year-old ended up working at the zoo for four years.
"[I] loved it so much because each animal has a different personality and something unique about it, which is a lot like people," she said.
"I loved it so much, and then, you know, football kind of became professional after that so it was the choice I had to make."
This basis is the inspiration behind the Arsenal goalkeeper's new venture Goal!!!. The semi-autobiographical book is a follow to her previous children's book Saved!!! and sees Williams make the move from Kalgoorlie to Canberra at age 11, and her journey to new friends, new skills and a new passion.
MORE IN SOCCER:
The proud Noongar athlete's Indigenous background is represented through a young bla(c)k character in the book and it's something Williams said was quite important.
"It's great, I think it really sets the tone that any female and any girl, it doesn't matter what colour they are, what their background is, I think they can achieve whatever they want to and whatever they put their mind to," she said.
"But obviously being Indigenous and coloured myself I think it's quite important, I guess for the world to see and read, and it's actually opened up quite a few doors for me to speak about my childhood and background overseas because there's interest in how I grew up and everything so that's actually a quite a blessing that came through the book and using that platform too."
After 88 caps with the Matildas so far, winning premierships with Canberra United, numerous personal accolades - including an induction into the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame - and playing for the most successful English club in the FA Women's Super League, Williams is continuing to make her mark on the world game.
MORE IN MATILDAS:
The importance of representation for Indigenous athletes is not lost on Williams, who looked up to the Cathy Freeman during the 2000 Olympics. However, she said the realisation she may be that person for young Indigenous athletes was surreal to think about.
"It's kind of surreal, I probably won't believe it until I'm done with the sport and kind of like moved on," Williams said.
"Just to be an inspiration and I guess an example for anyone really is kind of my whole goal and what I want to achieve in my career is not necessarily, I guess, the medals and everything, it's more how I inspire the next generation and the mark that I leave on the sport."
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
