WOMEN’S FOOTBALL: Majestics’ Wilson enjoys experience overseas, wins title

Adrienne Wilson’s opportunity of a lifetime proved to be a whirlwind two-and-a-half week excursion of ups and downs that the Kent transplant will never forget.

By the time it was complete, Wilson was able to celebrate the Fourth of July like never before – in a different country, with a title in hand, and with plenty of new friends.

Wilson, who was just one of 45 players nation wide to be chosen for the USA Football’s Women’s National team, spent from June 19-23 in the sweltering heat of Austin, Texas before bolting to Sweden for the first-ever Women’s World Championship from June 27-July 4.

“It was amazing,” said Wilson, a wide receiver for the Seattle Majestics, who play their home games at French Field. “It was awesome to be able to play with all the players from around the states. It was an incredible feeling. It was just such a good experience.”

The National team represented the U.S. in the Women’s World Championship, which pitted six teams from six different countries in a week-long football extravaganza at Stockholm, Sweden’s Zinkensdamms IP Stadium.

Wilson and Team USA opened the World Championship tour with a convincing 63-0 victory over Austria. The Majestics’ standout pulled in a 2-point conversion in the win. Team USA continued to dominate in the semifinals, trouncing Finland 72-0 before celebrating the Fourth of July a day early, ripping Canada 66-0 for the title.

Wilson, who has been playing football for three years, was initially overwhelmed by the competition level of her peers.

“A lot of my teammates have been playing like six years,” said the lanky, 5-foot-9 speedster. “I felt like a baby. To realize I am still very new to the sport, I think I know quite a bit. When I first showed up and looked around, a lot of the women were just as skilled as me. It was a little overwhelming, but once I got into it, I realized that we all were chosen for a reason.”

In Wilson’s case, there were two reasons – her soft hands and blazing speed. Those hands, however, let down Wilson during the team’s four-day minicamp under the excruciatingly hot Texas sun. Upon arrival, Wilson was listed among the team’s first-string wide receivers, but after a handful of drops, she fell in the pecking order.

“I had some issues dropping passes during our first practice,” lamented Wilson. “It was hot, mid-90s each day … not ideal temperatures to what I am used to in Seattle. I don’t typically have a problem dropping balls.

“But I really have no excuse.”

A cousin of Wilson also passed away a day after minicamp began, which undoubtedly took away from the receiver’s focus. The combination of it all – being well away from home on a demanding schedule and expected to perform with new teammates while learning about the death of a cousin – was challenging.

“I’m a pretty shy person to begin with, and (after I heard about my cousin) I definitely kept to myself a little more,” Wilson admitted. “I think it effected how I interacted with people, too.”

After absorbing the news of her cousin, and getting out of the Texas heat, Wilson – and Team USA – completed the trip in fine fashion. Though the 2-point conversion was Wilson’s lone catch of the tournament, she did get to try her hand – or, rather, legs – at a new position while in Stockholm, where she took a handful of snaps at running back. The results proved strong as Wilson gained 30 yards on five carries in the 66-0 shutout of Canada in the championship game.

“Pretty much all I do is catch the ball and run, so when they put me back there and tossed right or left, that was quite an experience,” she laughed.

Selections for the next Team USA won’t take place for another three years, but Wilson already knows where her heart is.

“I would definitely do it again,” she said. “It was exhausting, but such a good experience.”

An experience that went by in a blur, but finished with a flurry.