For Charity Williams, the dream of standing on an Olympic podium didn’t start on the rugby field – it started on the gymnastics mat. As a child, she envisioned herself flipping and twisting her way to glory, but by the time she was 10 or 11, reality set in.
“I remember realizing that probably wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t going to be the next Simone Biles,” she laughed. “But I was set on making it to the Olympics and knew I could find a sport I was passionate about, and good at!”
Encouraged by her mom to try her hand at as many sports as she could, she joined the track and wrestling teams in high school. But it wasn’t until a teammate encouraged her to come to rugby tryouts that things clicked.
“I went to my first practice, and I just knew,” said Williams. “I never stopped playing after that.”
Within a year, her speed and athleticism caught the attention of national team coaches, and at just 16 years old, she moved across the country to join Team Canada in Victoria, British Columbia – a decision that would set the stage for a career spanning over a decade and three Olympic Games.
Making it to the podium
Her first Olympics came quickly. At just 19, Williams arrived in Rio as the youngest player on the Canadian roster, suddenly sharing the Olympic village with athletes she had spent years watching on television.
At the time, she says she was mostly focused on absorbing the moment and learning from the more experienced players around her.
“I wasn’t contributing much, barely anything,” she laughed. “But I was obviously really proud of myself and all the hard work I put in.”
Over the next two Olympic cycles, Williams’ role on the team evolved. By the time the Paris Games arrived in 2024, she was one of the veterans helping guide a new generation of players through the pressure of international competition.
“Paris was a completely different experience for me. Besides a handful of players, the entire team was made up of first-time Olympians. But I felt really calm and ready to take on that leadership role,” she said. “We knew if we could lock in and support each other, that we could really do this. And we did – winning silver. I don’t know if people expected that from us, so it was a really crazy year.”
A new era for women’s sports
Beyond the medals and training, Williams is deeply aware of the moment women’s sports are in. The growth is tangible: bigger crowds, more visibility, and more opportunities for young athletes to thrive.
She recalls that silver medal game at the Paris Olympics, where the semi-final against France drew a record 65,000 fans.
“That was one of the biggest crowds women’s rugby has ever drawn, it was unreal,” she said.
But for Williams, the progress is about more than just numbers.
“I feel very lucky to have been part of this sport, but also a part of the fabric of women’s sport in this country,” she said. “So many people do the hard work, and then they don’t get to reap the reward of it. I get to see it, and it’s amazing to watch the sport flourish into what it is today.”
She adds that watching younger athletes step onto the field with access to resources and support that were hard-won by previous generations fills her with pride.
“Our older teammates, the women who paved the way – they put in incredible effort, often without the recognition they deserved. Now, new players get to enjoy the fans, the media attention, and the opportunities that weren’t there before. It’s really special to witness.”
Pushing past the fear
After more than a decade with the national team, Williams says rugby has shaped far more than her athletic career. It has taught her how to approach life.
One of the biggest lessons, she says, is learning to trust the process.
“I think a lot of people are very goal-oriented, which isn’t a bad thing,” she said. “But it can distract you from what’s actually important, which is putting your next foot forward every single day.”
For athletes chasing something as big as an Olympic medal, that perspective takes time to learn.
“When you’re striving for something like that, it’s really easy to focus on the end goal and think, ‘If I don’t get that medal, I’m not going to be happy,’” she said. “It takes practice and trials and tribulations – succeeding and failing, and then failing again, and then succeeding. You just have to stay focused and remember what you’re working toward, while knowing what matters most is what’s happening right now.”
It’s a lesson she hopes the next generation of players will carry with them, along with the courage to simply try.
“Anything is possible,” she said. “It’s the most cliché thing ever, but it’s true. If there’s even a tiny little spark in the back of your brain that something excites you, just go for it.”
And for anyone hesitant to step onto the field for the first time?
“If you’re scared, everyone’s scared,” Williams said with a laugh. “So just try!”
