Sheanon Williams started for the USA at the 2007 Under-17 and 2009 Under-20 World Cup and played in the 2008 NCAA Division I final in his only season at theUniversity of North Carolina, but he finds himself playing in the USL Second Division, the third level of professional career.
The Harrisburg City Islanders are Williams’ first pro clubafter numerous tryouts in Europe and the United States failed to result in a contract. “It’s definitely humbling,” said Williams, who played for the Premier DevelopmentLeague’s Carolina Dynamo last summer after leaving UNC and before heading to Egypt for the Under-20 World Cup. “You definitely have to work for everything you get. Nothing’sever guaranteed or set in stone, so you have to kind of build yourself up and do it one step at a time.”
Williams, who had tryouts at Germany’s Wolfsburg and new Dutch championTwente, has scored one goal in two games for Harrisburg and created other scoring opportunities. He doesn’t regret his decision to leave UNC. “It seemed like a good time to start thingsup,” he said.