For sophomore twin sisters Emma and Evelyn Williams, sports have been a central part of life for as long as they can remember. Since their days spent playing soccer, basketball and tee-ball starting at age 5, their love for sports has blossomed into varsity-level athletic talent as high schoolers.
Both Williams’ were tri-sport athletes in the 2023-24 season, with field hockey, basketball and lacrosse making their year-round athletic schedules at SHS. While the twins aren’t identical, they both look like athletes — standing at around 5’8” — and by frequenting the weight room, they have built strength that adds to their athletic skill.
According to Evelyn, playing sports with her sister simply makes each practice and game a more enjoyable experience, noting their field hockey season as a highlight.
“Playing with Emma keeps me motivated because not only do I enjoy spending time with her, I also feel like she’s my biggest supporter,” Evelyn said. “That extra bond as teammates has brought us even closer together because we’re fighting for a common goal on the field.”
While their sports of choice differ — Evelyn’s being field hockey and Emma’s being basketball — the opportunity to play various sports with one another constantly strengthens their bonds not only as teammates on the field but as sisters.
“It always feels fun cheering Emma on, but when she’ll make a pass to me I want to try my best to make the possession extra special,” Evelyn said.
Field hockey teammate Kathy Bui has noticed the twins’ connection on the field. “As opposing forces on offense and defense, they’re both key factors to the team,” she said. “They’re both leaders in their positions.”
The Williams have their share of twin telepathy moments in games when making perfect passes to one another in field hockey from Emma’s side on defense to Evelyn’s side on offense, but part of their connection lies in their relationship off the field. In each team huddle and post-game conversation, there’s a sense of understanding that passes between the two sisters — win or loss, they’ve both played the same game and are feeling the same emotions.
Emma, who has suffered from several broken fingers throughout the fall field hockey season and current basketball season, had to push herself as much as she could to make sure that she could still play at her best.
“This season, watching Emma’s comeback made me admire her and her dedication even more than I already did,” Evelyn said.
This sentiment of admiration is steadily shared between them — and has been shared since their youngest years playing soccer together.
“She was really good, and I wasn’t so much,” Evelyn said. “But, it pushed me to get better because I wanted to stay on her level.”
Emma, on the other hand, mentioned that Evelyn caught up to her rapidly, as their childhood competitive spirits fueled each other to become better athletes. But she made sure to note that their early competition had no lasting impact on their relationship.
“Instead of focusing on who’s better, we both play different positions,” Emma said. “Not being as competitive with each other and taking advice from one another helps us grow as players, instead of just focusing on our individual performances”.
Whether on the court or on the field, the sisters continue to push each other — striving for excellence while always being adamant in having the other’s back.
“Even when I feel like I’m having a bad game, Emma always has something positive to say,” Evelyn said. “Being able to look down the field and see her is reassuring because I know at the end of the game or the season I’ll always have her to talk to.”
