Scottish-born Helen Williams Guides Australia’s Curling Aspirations

Helen Williams’ curling career has involved an extensive journey in every sense. She grew up on farms in the Stranraer area and learned to play the sport at the North West Castle hotel in the town. Her talent was such that she once served as the lead in a team that included future Olympic gold medallist Rhona Martin. However, an ankle injury in 1997 led her to decide on a year-long break in Australia. She found her new surroundings so appealing that she never returned, and now, at 51 years old, she plays as skip for her adopted homeland’s national team. Her initial career ambition, upon attending the University of Glasgow in 1990 to study medicine, was to become a rural general practitioner. Instead, she has become a paediatrician at Perth Children’s Hospital, while also instructing medical students at the University of Western Australia. Before leaving Scotland, she was a rising talent in her sport, having skipped a team to a second-place finish in the Scottish Junior Championships. Williams had set her sights on the 1998 Winter Olympics, but her injury precluded this, directing her down an alternative path. “That was the opportunity for me to travel overseas and I came to Australia,” she said. “Initially I’d only planned to stay in Australia for a year.” She added, “Once it was clear that time was going to extend I heard there was curling in Victoria and went across for a bonspiel.” That trip, covering approximately 3,200 miles (5,150km), proved more fruitful than she had anticipated. “By the end of that weekend I was told I was playing for Australia and skipping the team which was quite a shock,” she said. She noted that “Curling was a niche sport in Australia in the early 2000s but is growing in numbers.” She also mentioned, “Now there are clubs in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.” After a break of more than a decade to raise children, she has now returned to skipping the national side, which consists of two Canadians and one player born in Australia. She characterizes the team as a “lovely mixture of experience, skills, personalities and nationalities”. Helen incorporates a touch of Stranraer into her role. “My Scottish background is definitely influential,” she said. “It’s very special knowing the history of the sport and the strong connections to family.” She continued, “I enjoy being part of promoting and developing the sport in another country.” Williams further explained, “My family instilled a work ethic to give your best efforts, be respectful of others and take opportunities.” She concluded, “I hope these values are exemplified in my leadership of the team.” Williams’ dedication has enabled her team to achieve its primary objective of winning the Pan Continental Curling Championships B division and securing Australia’s re-entry into the A division. “Next goal is to win Australian nationals in 2025 and play for a spot to qualify Australia in the world championships,” she said. The process has encountered challenges, particularly the absence of dedicated facilities in Australia, which means training occurs either online or necessitates an extensive journey to New Zealand. Helen describes skipping the team as a “privilege” but also a “big responsibility.” She emphasized, “It’s important that Australia performs well at international events to get more recognition and funding.” She further stated, “Ultimately Australia need support to build a dedicated curling rink to be able to provide a facility where athletes can train regularly and regularly offer the sport to the next generation.” When asked if she misses much about Scotland while living under the Australian sun, Williams replied, “Stranraer is a beautiful place to live, with lovely people.” She added, “My Australian children are amazed by the scenery and how green the landscape is.” She concluded, “Scotland will always have a special place for me in my heart and I enjoy visiting family and friends.” She also shared, “Listening to bagpipes always makes me very nostalgic for Scotland.”