Windsorite embraces new role in PWHL

Lauren Williams had one dream as a young hockey player, "I dreamed of playing in the NHL."

The Windsorite didn't get to live out that dream, but she made it from Windsor to the pro game as an assistant coach for the New York Sirens Professional Women's Hockey League. The sirens sounded loudly Monday night in Minnesota as New York beat the Frost 4-3 in overtime to open the season.

"Came out a little bit flat but it was great to see the response from the group," Williams said. "It's good to know that you can win those games when things aren't necessarily going your way."

Williams' journey to New York started as a 13 year old with the Southwest Wildcats. She went on to play for the Badgers at the University of Wisconsin where she majored in sociology and psychology.

In an interview with CTV this past summer, Williams said as a player, she never thought of herself as being a coach.

"I knew that I have this skill set that I was developing and this passion for mental health and athletes because it was something that I had struggled with and really focused in on in school,” she said.

By getting to know what makes her players tick, Williams found a way to create her style of coaching and stay in the game.

"If they're in that great mental space, they're going to get the results that we need as a coaching staff," Williams said.

Her former coach with the Wildcats, Denise Brett, speaks about Williams with pride, "I always knew that Lauren would do well for herself."

Brett feels Williams is a shining example of how the passion for hockey can still open doors.

"I even say to a lot of the kids that play hockey and when they're done playing, get into the refereeing end of it or getting into the coaching end of it, it's definitely something that they can do with the game,” said Brett.

Williams hopes girls can continue finding their way into the women's hockey community because she doesn't want to be the only Windsorite in the PWHL.

"Bring the Windsorites. Let's go."