Chris Williams has been passionate about soccer since his mother started to teach him how to play the sport as a way of tiring him out. Now almost 40 years later, Williams is a stanch supporter of the Houston Dynamo and an active member of the city’s soccer community.
Williams says the throughout the years the Dynamo and soccer have given him some of his closest friends and fondest memories. Throughout the years Williams says his group of friends has grown due to the camaraderie that can be found within the supporter of the Dynamo.
“A couple of years ago, my buddy and I that have season tickets – we were at a bowling alley,” Williams said. “We were arguing about something relating to the Dynamo and the guy next to us was wearing a Dynamo jersey was like, ‘I don't mean to butt in, but this is what I think’ and started talking with us at the bowling alley. We’ve been great friends ever since.”
Williams said soccer has always had a way of making you feel welcome, no matter the stage of life. When he was a kid and moved to Houston from Kansas, Williams said he was able to join club teams and city league teams and immediately fit into not only the game, but with the group of friends. Throughout his life, Williams has participated in competitive leagues, recreational leagues and said it has always been a way to socialize and stay fit.
When the Dynamo won its first championship, Williams was 22 and traveled to Frisco to see Houston take the cup in enemy territory – which is one of his fondest memories. Williams also says that one of his most memorable home game experiences came in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal against Los Angeles Football Club when goalkeeper Joe Willis needed to make one more save in the penalty shootout to win the game.
“The whole crowd started chanting Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, and he came up made the big save and won the game. That was pretty cool,” Williams said.
For his family, soccer has become a way of life. What first started as an attempt to tire out her small child, William’s mother is now a big fan of the sport and the Dynamo. Williams says as he started grow more interested in the sport so did his mom. Now several years later, they attend Dynamo games, host World Cup watch parties and bond over soccer.
“You know, she comes to games with me every once in a while,” Williams says. “We'll have World Cup parties at the house and she's going to come and she's taking the days off with me. She's definitely more into it now than I am.”
After almost a lifetime of supporting the sport, Williams is excited to share that with his daughter who he recently took to her first Dynamo game. With Houston being selected to be a World Cup host city four years from now, he hopes to take her to a game and get to have that experience alongside her.
Williams will be honored as SeatGeek’s Member of the Match on Wednesday when the Houston Dynamo welcome LAFC to the Bayou City.
“I just look forward to the possibility of seeing something special and cheering on the team that we've been with for so long,” Williams said. “That's why I'm excited and why I am a member and season ticket holder. It's something that I've done since day one, and grew up playing soccer and watching soccer, and it's just kind of become part of our lives.”
