Steeped in soccer: New Norwell girls coach grew up in Wales city popularized by TV series

NORWELL -- Welcome to (The Guy From) Wrexham.

The wildly successful Norwell High girls soccer program was dealt a big blow last month when coach Kara Connerty stepped down after a memorable 13-year run in which the Clippers claimed three Division 3 state championships, in 2018, 2021 and 2023 .

Into those big shoes now steps former assistant Rob Williams, who knows all about soccer, not only from his 10-year hitch as the Scituate High girls coach (and subsequent two-year stint on Connerty's staff) but also from his upbringing in Wales. Williams, 43, grew up in Wrexham – yes, that Wrexham – rooting for the grand old local football club whose profile has skyrocketed thanks to the ongoing "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary series on FX.

More: Find all South Shore, Brockton-area high school football coverage right here

Williams, who emigrated from Wales 15 years ago, hasn't been back home in a while – he's planning a return next summer – but he has family there. And, yes, they have seen club co-owners Ryan "Deadpool" Reynolds and Rob "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" McElhenney at games at the Racecourse Ground.

"Obviously, Wrexham have become pretty big in the States now," Williams said. "(Reynolds and McElhenney) are doing an unbelievable job and I like the way they're doing it. They've not just gone in and thrown millions of dollars at it, they've actually completely regenerated the whole town. When I left 15 years ago, it was a dying town. Everything was closing down. Just to see it now ... is refreshing."

Some of the Clippers actually only found out about Williams' Hollywood-adjacent backstory this week.

"We were at practice (Tuesday) night ... and somebody called me English and I had to put them in their place – I'm not English, I'm Welsh," Williams said with a laugh. "Not many people know where Wales is, right? I had mentioned that I was from Wrexham and a few of (the players) said, 'Oh, wow, I watch that show, and my parents love that show.' I was like, 'Yeah, it's a real place.'"

More: Abington rallies for draw: South Shore high school top performers for first week of fall

The program that Williams has inherited could make for an interesting documentary itself. The Clippers were 23-1-1 last season, capping off the year with a 1-0 win over Hanover in the state final. Williams understands how high the bar was set under Connerty.

"Kara did an unbelievable job with the program," he said. "I've been coaching 20-plus years, but working alongside her, I definitely learned a lot the last couple of years. ... The kids live and breathe soccer and live and breathe the program."

Of Connerty leaving, senior right back Holly Panttila said: "We respect her decision and all. It's definitely going to be different without her."

Williams, who owns the City Arena sports complex in Pembroke, will be tweaking Norwell's system, including making the Clippers more attack-minded. A defense-first approach worked wonders in 2023 with Norwell pitching 19 shutouts, but losing All-State backs Audrey Loring and Smilla Spasic and goalkeeper Belle Pettit to graduation has prompted a philosophical switch.

Until All-Scholastic back Eden Wheeler returns from a broken ankle (hopefully by October), the Clippers figure to lean on an all-sophomore forward line of Allyson Kelley, Kelsey Tuttle and Hannah Morse. Tuttle scored twice and Kelley added a goal in Tuesday's season-opening 8-0 win over Sandwich. Senior midfielder Paige Flanders netted a hat trick, with junior midfielder Anja Johnson and classmate Abby Shaw also finding the net.

"We want to get that mentality of you're going to have to score quite a lot of goals to beat us because we're going to score a lot of goals," Williams said.

"I definitely like it," senior midfielder Olga Spasic said of the new approach. "I'm super confident in the three (forwards) who are up there."

Flanders, Spasic and Johnson will patrol the midfield while the remade back line right now has senior Reagan Dowd and junior Madelyn Smith at center backs, flanked by Panttila (right) and sophomore Mairin Blake (left). The new goalkeeper is junior Elle Robinson.

"She's had a great couple of weeks," Williams said of Robinson. "We're building confidence in her. Stepping into Belle's shoes from last year is obviously a big ask. But she's very capable. The girls have taken her under their wing. If we can bring out the confidence in her, I think she's going to be a big asset for us for the next couple of years."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Steeped in soccer: New Norwell girls coach grew up in Wales city popularized by TV series