Eryk Williamson, Charlotte FC Midfielder

On this episode of the Charlotte FC Podcast, we sit down with midfielder Eryk Williamson to talk through the chapters of his career and life so far—from growing up in Alexandria, VA, to his development at Maryland and DC United’s academy, to his time in Portugal and Portland, and now his move to Charlotte. Eryk opens up about his personal style and love for sneakers, the influence of mentors like Miles Joseph, overcoming two ACL injuries, and why Charlotte’s culture and locker room made it the right place for his next step. Off the pitch, he shares his passions for coffee, movies, and life with his dog in a new city.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome back to the Charlotte FCPodcast.
Today we're joined by midfielderEric Williamson, who's had a
remarkable journey from Alexandria, VA to Portland to
Portugal back to Portland and now to Charlotte.
In this conversation, Eric takesus through the places and people
that shaped him. His family, his mentors, his
battles with injuries, and the culture has kept him grounded.

(00:21):
We also dive into his personal style, sneaker collection, and
what's life like in Charlotte has been so far for him both on
and off the pitch. And we talk about his dog.
It's time for the Charlotte FC podcast.

(00:44):
Welcome to the Charlotte FC podcast.
Eric, you've had a fascinating journey.
Started in Alexandria, VA, did some time in Portland and
Portugal, then back to Portland,now here in Charlotte.
So I want to kind of talk through some of these places
because I feel like places are an easy way for us to look at
how things change and environments change and how we

(01:05):
feel about them and what happened in those times because
it kind of makes a bigger story looking all those chapters,
right? Also, you know, lots of moments,
lots of people, lots of great stories and challenges that have
shaped who you are today on and off the pitch.
Before that. I really like your style.
So I always see on your Instagram, your pictures and
stuff like that. And it sounds like it started at
a young age. So what influences how you

(01:26):
dress? Yeah.
I think, you know, coming from the DMV area, it's one where,
you know, you grow up with many different cultures and
different, you know, styles and backgrounds that it kind of
ultimately shaped my style. I think growing up, it was a lot
of soccer focus. You know, I wore, you know,
total 90 shoes or indoor shoes to to school because I knew PE
comes around and, you know, you are playing in these shoes.

(01:49):
But then kind of the older I got, it was more you look at the
prices of a football boot. So it was more of getting
football boots rather than, you know, shoes and different
clothing. And I think once I became a
professional, I was used to thisstyle of, you know, kind of
wearing stuff that's cozy and comfortable.
And funny enough, there's a guy,Zarek Valentin, who really got

(02:11):
on me my first year in Portland.And I wore Nike track suits
every day to training. I never owned a proper pair of
jeans. It was everything with, you
know, cuts and slits and anything in between that he
really got on me and said, you know, kind of find my style and
invited me into this kind of shoe culture community.
I would kind of say you. And Colina got a little battle

(02:32):
there. He's a shoe guy too.
Yeah, and, you know, last game, I, I was, you know, joking with
him, with his shoes and he's like, you know, oh, you know,
I'm really into shoes. And we kind of started that
conversation. But.
But yeah, Zerick's one who, you know, being in Oregon, being
around Nike was able to, you know, get to campus and see some
cool collabs and some cool shoesand everything there that

(02:53):
started to shape my style. And, you know, at first it was
just a pair of jeans and AT shirt and then it was, you know,
how can you elevate that? And then, you know, there's guys
Larisse Mabiala Bill when I was in Portland, you know, they
started elevating their style and it made me kind of get out
of my comfort zone. You know, I I instead of wearing
this, the T-shirt and jeans, it's, you know, can I put on a
jacket and, you know, can I try a piece of clothing that I

(03:16):
wouldn't wear normally before and just kind of taking that
into my own style and and creativity.
And I think now kind of shaped me to who I am.
You know, you look at guys on the team here, there's a lot of
guys who have good style as well.
You look at Wolf, you look at Bill, you look at, you know,
Jaquil, some of these guys a deal DD, you know, they come
into the game and everyone to anextent it, it allows them to

(03:39):
show their personality and theirstyle.
And I think that's ultimately what I have liked about myself
is being able to grow. I think going out to Portland at
a young age, you know, you're, you're forced to grow up.
And again, I'm so comfortable with, you know, showing up in
Nike track suits or, you know, sandals to training and then,
you know, guys push you out of that comfort zone to ultimately,

(04:00):
you know, grow up and have your own style.
So when you moved here, how manydid your shoes just put them all
in one big bin because you got almost like a room full of them,
right? Yeah, have a room full.
And I think that's where even moving there was, you know, a
few things I really cared about.I'm into plants.
It was a plant. It was my dog and it was my
shoes. You know, I think it was getting
upwards of 100 pairs that, you know, I wanted to cycle through.

(04:23):
And again, as a kid, I was, you know, I wanted this pair of
Jordans or I wanted this, you know, Nike skateboarding shoe or
something. Couldn't get them because I'd
much rather get a pair of soccercleats.
You know, it was one of the other.
And I think now being able to work with Nike a little bit,
it's been good to, you know, grow that.
And now it's becoming a collectible and, and the little
kid in me is coming out. It's, you know, I go into shoe

(04:45):
store sometime just to look around and it's again, like a
kid in the candy store and go inthere and pick out a, a shoe.
And I think now it's there, there's so many different ways
to play a pair of shoes. It's it could be the statement
piece, it could be a highlight. It could be, you know, casual,
you know, pair of air forces. And again, it's trying to, you
know, push it on to guys here aswell and challenge our young

(05:06):
guys to, you know, find their style and personality as well
because I think, you know, it's a beautiful thing when it comes
out. Yeah.
Then do you see you have like a deal with Nike?
Kind of? Yeah, I've, I've worked with
Nike since being a professional.I think, you know, going to
Maryland, I was at Under Armour.So it was a few years of, you
know, DC United Academy and the Academy was all Adidas.
Then you go to Maryland, it's all Under Armour.

(05:27):
Then as a professional, it's been mostly Nike and you know,
it was a dream of mine to work with them and I've been lucky
enough to work with them for thelast seven years.
Awesome. So Speaking of starting growing
up, you have some siblings but they played all sports out here,
but you were just focused on soccer.
Was it just because you need wanted to find your niche or
that was what you were good at? Yeah, my oldest brother, he

(05:48):
played every sport on the sun. And when I was born, he was
playing soccer. He was out there with my mom,
with the Soccer for Dummies book.
And my mom's out there, you know, flipping through the
pages. OK, this is this.
So then when I got to the time of running, my sister was
playing. She played with essentially the
guy I called dad. Now is is my soccer coach
growing up, he took me under thewing.

(06:09):
I played with his son from before I could even remember to,
you know, now you know, they're coming out to games here and
everything in between. And I played basketball.
I didn't have the height for basketball, but my mom played.
So it's one of those where, you know, you have similar
attributes in basketball. You know, you have the
defending, you have the, you know, creativity aspect of it.
There's a technique of shooting little things there.

(06:31):
It was just hard when you know, you go to the basket and guys
are 6/6 and blocking shots. So ultimately, I think come
middle school, I had to make thedecision if he was either soccer
or basketball. And you know, I'm, I'm having my
decision because I for as much as I love basketball, my mom's
love for the game, it was ultimately soccer that like, you
know, I never wanted to miss a training session.

(06:52):
If I had one at 4:30 and 1:00, at 6:30, I'm going to both.
You know, it was making sure that I'd never missed a day of
training and and ultimately led me to my goal and dream of being
a professional. Did your mom play professional?
No, my mom stopped playing. She had, she stopped playing
basketball when probably right after high school when she had
my oldest brother. She was like, you know what, I

(07:12):
think it's motherhood rather than going off to school, so.
Well, you played well. You went to high school in
Alexandria, VA TC Williams was called then.
That's the Titan school. Watch the movie.
But I know in the Northern Virginia area, from that area,
you know, soccer and the academies and stuff are really

(07:33):
big. High school stuff not so much.
And just, you know, that's kind of where everybody has gone
anyway eventually. But what kind of sticks out to
you from that time before you ended in going into Maryland,
The BC Academy like that sticks out of how you play and how you
approach life. Yeah, I think, you know,
honestly, you go to a school with so much history of the

(07:55):
football team and it's a really diverse culture.
I think it made it really creative and interesting soccer
team. And ultimately, when you walk
into their atrium area or their Rotunda area is what we called
it had big and gold letters. You know, remember the Titans
and I remember being in high school, our soccer coach, I
always say like, you know, like leave your history here, you

(08:17):
know, leave your legacy here. And, you know, being able to win
a state championship with TC or near city now, it was good
because it was the first and only state championship that
we've ever won and was able to do that before having to go to
Academy. So it was a little bit of, you
know, I've guys from that team that I still text to this day
that ultimately are are my best friends, to say the least.

(08:38):
And, you know, having that and having that shape me kind of,
you know, it was one of those, as I said, it was soccer
practice right after school and then it was going into club
practice right after. It allowed you to do both club
and high school. So it kind of just added that
extra bit of training, to say the least.
And two different teams, but onewhere, you know, as a freshman,

(08:59):
I made the varsity team and it was, you know, cool to be the
young guy. My older brother was on the team
and I was just, you know, the one everyone protected.
And then the older you got, it was more you take a bigger role.
And I think my junior year when we won the JJ Championship, I
was a captain. So it was, you know, a different
role. And kind of growing at that role
was good. But ultimately, you know, being
able to leave history. I think last year I actually was

(09:20):
under the Hall of Fame there, which was cool.
I wasn't able to accept the award.
But you know, I think it's such a decorated school.
Noah Lyles went to school. There is, you know, quite a few
players who went professionally.I know also made it out.
But if it's one where it it's cool to kind of go back and look
at, you know, their remember theTitans seeing everything from
the movie. But the same time you look on

(09:41):
the other side of the soccer area, having my little section
where it's, you know, you see the district championships and
the state championship trophy, right?
Exactly. So growing up there and just
family, like you said, what are some things that you can feel
like either from your siblings or your mom or whoever else you
talked about the you can call dad now your kind of coach?

(10:03):
What is something that you're like look back and be like?
That's kind of what I learned from this time period.
Yeah, I think there were quite afew.
There was, you know, days where it was hard to, you know, miss
out on the high school things ofOK, hey, I want to go to
homecoming or hey, I want to go to a football game.
And it's like you never being able to go.

(10:24):
And it was one of those where for as much as I was upset about
it was one I knew the goal at the end of the day was
ultimately to become a professional soccer player that
I think I was going to at the time.
No, But it was still chasing that dream.
And I think I look at that everyday and know that, you
know, on the hard days of, you know, say you lose a game or
you've had a bad game, it's waking up the next day and

(10:45):
knowing, you know what, I've actually got to the point where
I want to be and, you know, improve from there and not just
take it for granted. You know, I think through
injuries, through everything with my childhood, it was good
to kind of make it professionally.
But it's one of those that, you know, never want to take a day
for granted. And ultimately, you know, that
one day it could all be over as well.

(11:05):
So it's just kind of taking it day by day and not, you know,
looking too much into the future, looking too much into
the past and kind of just, you know, everything from those
training sessions I didn't want to go to or those events I
missed that at the end of the day, this was what the reward
was. So did you realize or just know
somehow, like I'm on this professional trek, like, were

(11:26):
there individuals from the outside or like you got these
things that nobody else has thatyou can make it?
Like, how did that come about? Because everybody always wants
to be this right? But there's a fine line between
wanting to do it and having the skills and being able to commit
to. It Yeah, I think everyone around
me did a good job of keeping my head to my shoulders at the same

(11:46):
time, pushing me to always do more.
There was a point where they hadtraining camps, kind of like
national team training camps in the area.
Wasn't the full national team, but it was just little training
sessions. It would be a Thursday night at
8:00 and you look at some of thetop players in the area.
They're not these ID camps kind of ordeal.
And I remember talking to one ofthe local scouts and he's like,

(12:07):
hey, look, we we'd love to have you in the national team, but I
think, you know, maybe take a next step in trying to go
Academy. And at that time it was kind of
Academy was the main way into the youth national teams.
And I was like, OK, sure. Like I'll make the jump.
It was hard again, leaving friends and guys.
I still talk to this day from club teams to make that jump.
And then you make that jump intoan MLS Academy and it's like,

(12:30):
OK, well, hey, like now I'm getting a little closer and it's
hey, I'm now I'm getting a text from our coach to go train with
the first team. And now you see the real
professionals. And then now you're seeing the
likes of Bobby Boswell and ChrisRolfe and Eddie Johnson, some of
these big guys that you're idolizing on TV, idolizing, you
know, look across the fence fromon the training ground.

(12:50):
And it's, you know, once I started to get in with them, it
started to feel maybe I'm a little closer than I think.
And it still was never, hey, you're going to be a
professional one day. It was just taking those stamps
and like, OK, hey, can I make mymark today?
Hey, can I be a good person in training?
Could I be a good one of the best players in training?
And then the more and more year round, it was maybe the summer
after my freshman year of college is when I kind of

(13:14):
reality somewhat set in of, you know what, maybe I'm closer than
I think and continue to push andthen start getting at the U20
national team and everything there.
And that was kind of my moment where I started to realize it.
I think getting in the offer after my second year at Maryland
was, you know, kind of the icingon the cake of like, OK, he's
here's my first professional contract, but also not jumping

(13:35):
on the first opportunity as wellbecause it all had to make sense
to my mom always wanted me to finish school.
And I promise herself to this day that I'll go back being
closer to home Now it's, you know, she's pushing me even
more. But yeah, exactly.
So it was really good. But at the same time, there's no
moment of like, hey, I scored three goals.
I know I'm going to be a professional.
It was just, you know, the day in, day out of being with the

(13:57):
first team and being in a professional environment of, OK,
maybe I am a little closer. And I think.
Yeah. Now I've heard that you, I don't
know if this is your opinion, but people feel like you may
have been slighted by DC and that, you know, you thought you
were going to be like a part of their thing.
And then since they weren't likemoving you forward off to

(14:18):
Portland, how did that happen? What is your take on all that?
In my personal opinion, I think it was you look at the midfield
group that DC United had when I was coming out of school.
It was going to be a tough one to break into and I think in
everyone's best interest it was OK.
What is the best way to get me into a first team?
And working with my agent, you know, now and talking with the

(14:41):
the technical staff there at theclub, it was OK.
What makes the most sense? Do I go in and am I waiting two
years? Because you have, you know, guys
still in the league now. You have Ian Hart, you have
Chris Dirk and you have all these guys who have signed
either the year before me or twoyears before me.
And now they've been a professional for two years.
They know the day in, day out ofbeing professional and it wasn't

(15:03):
by no means was it taking an easy route, but it was more of
now it's getting out of my comfort zone as well of can I go
out to Portland and grow up, Youknow, because I was 45 minutes
from home being at Maryland, I was always, you know, these I
never had to go to a residency anything there.
It was always comfortable being close to home.
If I need anything I can call mymom kind of ordeal.

(15:25):
So it was one of those that I think just made the most sense
for me. It was a little nerve wracking
because I wanted to get into preseason right away, but we took
our time with on both sides of them having the best deal for
them. But at the same time for me and
I think the way things played out, it played out perfectly for
in my opinion to go out there and grow up.
I was with the guys that was with the youth national team or

(15:47):
guys that I still call every dayif I need advice.
You know, guys like Bill were first conversation I had on in
Oregon was with one of what was with him.
So no, it was good. I think no part of it was
personal by any means, but it was, you know, at the end of the
day, you know, I'm happy that wewere able to resolve something
and it allowed my career to takethe next step.

(16:08):
Sounds like it was a little moremutual what other people may
have. Yeah, exactly.
And I mean you look at the talent in the DMV area, whether
it's me or Jeremy of Bobosi is aperfect example.
He's one where he came out of the same area, never actually
played in the Academy, but end of the draft and ended up also
in Oregon. So a lot of local talent, a lot
of local talent. So you get the Portland, you're

(16:30):
on Portland two team right away.Big Jacket, you're living by
yourself, of course, far away. That probably has its own
challenges. But you also you eventually you
do a pit stop in Portugal, whichI'm going to play something for
you later that I had somebody report.
But you do the pit stop in Portugal and you come back and

(16:50):
play for Portland, leaving the MLS back tournament thing in
Orlando. That's kind of where you started
to make your mark and be kind ofrecognizable at the first team.
Can you walk through some thingsat Portland that really like
made your career or changed the trajectory?
Yeah, I think so. I mean, going out there 2018,
the first six months was I don'twant to say it was living a good

(17:16):
life, but I'm in in terms of in retrospect to Portugal.
So I and I'm in Oregon, I'm playing with the second team.
We have facilities, we have AC, we have everything.
It's the fields perfect. The balls are perfectly pumped.
You're not worried about rain. If it's if it if it is raining,
the field can deal with it. And then I go out to Portugal

(17:37):
and it almost is the complete opposite.
I'm now not speaking the language.
I don't have friends, I don't have a car, I don't have phone
service. You know, if I wanted to call a
taxi, I had to rely on the teammate to call a taxi.
So like little things that you take for granted in the US, you
kind of miss there. But I think the style of play

(17:58):
also is one of those moments it force you to grow up.
Now I'm forced to learn a language I don't know.
I'm forced to, you know, interact with players that are
from a completely different culture, that know nothing about
me, that with, with all due respect, don't care about, you
know, where I've come from. They are worried about what I'm
doing in training that day. And it forces you to go, OK,

(18:20):
look, now I know if I go home and I cry myself to sleep for
the next week or they're not going to care.
You know, if I go home and I play video games from 2:00 until
8:30 at night and then I eat dinner, they're not going to
worry about that. They're just worried about what
I'm doing on the field. So it forced me to now realize
that everything that is off the fields to an extent is a

(18:43):
distraction. Just show up and do what you
need to do on the field. Ultimately didn't make an
appearance, but then it's like you go back to Portland and it's
like, you know what, I'm going to take that same mentality and
and bring it here. So going into 2019, it was, you
know, now I'm getting into the second team.
I'm, you know, forcing my way insomeone with the first team make
my debut in the middle of 2019. And then it was a couple games

(19:07):
playing at home in 2019. Full.
Circle moment my second start inthe league was against DC United
at home in Portland, and it was,you know, I still to this day
have a picture standing next to Wayne Rooney.
And it's again one of those big moments of like, this is my
brother's favorite player and how do I, you know, do I ask for

(19:28):
a jersey? OK, he's not going to know who I
am. You know, it's one of those
things that, you know, full circle moment and then MLS is
back. It's one where now you're taking
another step. It's you're now in the third
year of a pro, you have no excuse to say, OK, I'm the young
kid anymore. You go in and it's just do
essentially your job and make sure that you're winning games.

(19:48):
And I think if you do those two things and it ultimately will
lead you in the right direction.And I had good pieces around me.
I had both Diego's next to me that arguably the Diego Char,
Diego Valeri. It's arguably two of the best,
you know, players in the league and their positions and you
know, being able to learn from them just.
Some of the non verbal, some of the verbal things of like, I

(20:09):
make a mistake, they look at me and they're like, who cares?
Keep going, you know. And I think that mentality
allowed me to grow the confidence and play with them,
play with, you know, pieces where if delayed, if Diego
Valerio was out, you know, can Istep into a different role?
If Diego Charles was out, can I step into a different role?
And I think that evolved my gamea little bit to be able to play,
you know, in any of the positions in the midfield.

(20:30):
And then it's, you know, can youplay somewhere else?
Can you do this? Can you take on this role that
ultimately led me to, you know, coming here?
And it's one where we play such a flexible style of, you know,
sometimes it's a 66, sometimes it's 16, sometimes it's 1010.
You know, taking all of those moments and experiences and
bringing it to, you know, different clubs and, and, and

(20:50):
different moments that needed inthis year.
And you look at, you know, not starting as much, but being able
to play a different role and know that at the end of the day,
it's all a similar goal. And I think that's the mentality
we had in Oregon. When I'm just getting the first
appearance or the second appearance, it's now, you know,
how can I come in and make my mark, whether it's starting a

(21:11):
game or coming on for 30 secondsif needed.
Yeah. You coming here, of course, we
also got to play with a Vander too.
So I think everybody's game elevates when you play with
people that are at a higher level or you know, or
outstanding and you're like, Oh,I can learn from, you know, just
little angles like you were talking about little things you
can do, whether it's verbal or non verbal.

(21:33):
But so when you come over here, you got Miles Joseph again, and
I don't know if he had any part of getting you over here because
obviously he's probably a big fan of yours.
But can you walk me through how that relationship with Miles is?
And if there's not something bigger than just a he was
coached for a little bit and didn't concentrate, or is there

(21:55):
something else that kind of connects?
Here, Yeah, I think Miles here plays a similar role than what
he did in Oregon. He was one where he, you know,
took one with some of the young guys and, you know, gave his
advice when needed. And I think from probably 20-19,
maybe getting into 2020, the conversations we had, I think

(22:16):
ultimately evolved my games in the best ways.
You know, I it's things I'm not thinking about that he sees his
experiences. And I think it's, hey, look, on
this side of the ball, you need to do this.
On this side of the ball, you need to do that.
And I think there's many momentsthat stick out, but it's, you
know, you get hurt. Miles was the first one that,
you know, sending me a text and say, hey, you know, keep your

(22:37):
head up, keep going. And it's that confidence he's
instills and, and me and some ofthe guys you see in this locker
room goes a long way. And it ultimately our
conversation was one of the lastones we had going into the
offseason last year. I think I actually texted him
for a conversation because I I don't know how much he knew

(22:58):
about it, but I was really interested in coming here.
And I was like, Miles, I just want to pick your brain, whether
I do it or not. What are your thoughts on the
club and everything? And I want to say we sat down
for at least four hours and we've talked about, you know, on
the field stuff, off the field stuff.
He said if I needed to live withhim, I could live with him.
You know, little things like that, you know, really made me

(23:21):
feel welcomed, not only here at the club, but in every aspect of
his life as well. And I think whether things are
going right or wrong, he's one of the guys that I, I always
pick his brain because he's coached some of the best
players. He's coached Evander.
He helped Evander shine and moments where I believe it was
2023 when he took over for a little bit and.

(23:41):
Yeah, yeah, Stellar. Record exactly.
And it goes to show, you know, he has he, he's such a good
coach and he's able to bring thebest out of people.
And I was 1 where I was like, you know what?
I think it's taking that step tocome here and, and getting the
best out of me here. And it's been good.
You know, I, I think he's been one in my corner, whether it's
it's good or bad, that I'm able to get positive, you know, real
feedback from. And it's a relationship I don't

(24:05):
think you can have with many people.
And yeah, I'm close with his family.
And I think his wife is one thathe whenever she comes to visit,
it's, it's like seeing like a second mom, you know, almost.
So it's been good. I know his son went to Indiana,
but you know, we don't take thatpersonally.
It's just more, you know, he's agood guy.

(24:25):
And whenever he he's in town, I always try to, you know, catch
up with him as well. That's.
Awesome. Now you said you wanted to come
here. Like, was there a reason you
were like looking at Charlotte? And they were like, hey, this
could be a spot for me. Yeah, I think, you know, if you
look at the last year of when weplayed, when Portland played
here, it was 1 where I remember from the moment we stopped on

(24:47):
the field, I was like, OK, this is not only an atmosphere, but
like a team and an environment that felt like all together.
You know, it was 1 where you look at the back end of Oregon,
there was there's so much turnover.
It felt like a different culture.
And it was, you know, maybe it'stime to take another step in my
career. And then, yeah, after that game,
it was one I remember calling bells.

(25:08):
I guess. I like that every game he's
like, bro, I don't I don't know how to put words on it, but it's
one where everyone feels uncomfortable here.
It's I exactly. That's just.
Yeah, exactly. And then he's like, you know,
it's a great locker room where one where we all talk.
You look at even days like today, we're all in there

(25:30):
messing around, joking around about anything and everything.
You know, we've found out middlenames today, which it has its
own banter, but it but it's goodbecause it's a culture you want
to be around and it makes you wake up every day and be like,
Oh, you know what, I'm living the dream.
And you know, being here, we've had our ups and downs.
You know, you look at our streakright now, it's amazing.
But you look at when we were rough and it no one put their

(25:53):
head down, no one was pointing fingers.
It was, we're going to get ourselves out of this.
And that's ultimately what I wanted.
I didn't want to go somewhere where it's 11 individuals on the
field. It's a team, a club from top to
bottom. And you look at, again, some of
the worst days and everyone's like, you know, we'll get
through this. And yeah, I think that is

(26:14):
ultimately one of my best decisions.
And you know, I obviously hindsight's 2020, I didn't think
you would go through a rough patch, but it really showed
that, you know, you can. I honestly trust some of the
stuff that Bill had said but hadMiles had said as well.
And then talking to Dean before he said, you know, this is a
culture he's brought and instilled within the club.
Yeah, I mean this Mason, would you rather play for even though,

(26:36):
you know, like right now you're going to you're still battling
and you know, you're not like, hey, I'm I'm a first team player
all the time. Would you rather play for a team
in a culture like this than being like knowing that you're
going to a place that might not have that culture, but you know
you're going to be on the field all the time?
For sure, I, I definitely want to be in somewhere where we,
we're, we're winning and we're competing for trophies And you

(26:57):
know, I actually forgot that piece because that was the
biggest thing as well as you look at the playoff run last
year, it was something missing. Not saying that like the, you
know, there, we can put a fingeron exactly what's missing, but
it's like, you know, what, if I can add my quality and depth or
whatever I can bring to this team to help elevate the team, I

(27:19):
think, you know, it would help us that take another step in
that right direction. And for me, it's one where I
never want to be on the team that, you know, we're competing
for the wooden spoon and we're just out there just to say we
got an appearance. You know, I think it's one where
I want to be upset that we lose the game.
And even if it's a game that means nothing, it's one where we
want to win every game and, and honestly, every trophy.

(27:39):
You look at how we've been knocked out this year and it's
been, you know, a punch in the face of all of us.
But it's all like, you know, at the end of the day, we still
have, you know, support of Shield, who you can still chase.
And then you have Ms. Cup that, you know, is on the back end of
that. So it's not taking, you know,
one loss and then and holding our heads down and then keeping
our heads down. It's more of look at the bigger

(28:00):
picture. We can compete for at least
three or four trophies. And again, the way we were
knocked out, it wasn't we were getting played off the field.
It was, you know, you look at DC, you lose in PKS, you look at
League's Cup, if things go a different way, it's wearing the
conversation. So yeah, I've always been
someone where it's cool to be onthe field for a losing team, but

(28:22):
I'd much rather fight for a spoton a championship team every day
of the week. And.
A team that has a good culture too you want to be around.
Exactly. And not a toxic workplace where
everyone's legitimately fighting.
We're fighting in the healthiestways.
It's, you know, you kick me, I kick you a little harder and we
both shake hands after because we know we want the best for
each other. So.

(28:43):
Now, I can't skip over the fact that you've come back from 2 AC
LS, the first almost four years ago today.
Within that, both that points when you were really hitting
your stride, which has got to betough because like you're in the
mix of the US national team and discussion and playing for them
and being thought of as, hey, this could be a starting person

(29:06):
on this squad. And then just also the whole
physical and mental recovery of all that takes months to a year
to do that. And the broadcaster who used to
cover Portland, Ross Smith, is now an MLS.
He covered the last one of the last games here.
I had him talk a little bit about you.
So that's all I'm going to play for you.
Just want you to hear this. Eric as a, as a person, as I was

(29:30):
telling you last night, I, I, I think it was Portugal, but I
think that was really neat that,you know, that sort of that
experience for him and what it did for him because it just
wasn't working out in, in Portland to make the jump to the
first team. He was playing in the second
team and, and Cameron Knowles was his coach, who's the
assistant at Minnesota United now.

(29:50):
And Cameron was big on Eric. Cameron was saying he is, he is
going to be a player and you know, I wasn't watching T2 at
the time, but you know, chattingto Kim and, and he kept saying
how good Eric was. And I think Eric was, you know,
just a stand out and, and, but he he just couldn't get that
jump. And, and so he was, he was sent

(30:11):
across to Portugal. I forget which order it went,
whether he went to Portugal, came back to the Timber second
team or he was Timber second team and then went to Portugal.
But I felt like that made a difference when I saw him at MLS
Cup when we were having a few drinks in the bar afterwards,
You know, that whole experience just felt like he was like, I'm
done with that. I'm, I'm not going to let my

(30:32):
opportunity if they bring me back here to let it slip
through. And so, and so when he got that
chance, he, it, it started to, to work for him and he, and it
was tough to see at times because he isn't the player that
is, is going to come in and, andall of a sudden just just blind
you with wonderful skill. And you know, he, he can kind of

(30:54):
drift, which is a bit of a hit on him.
I feel like if the game comes tohim, great.
If it doesn't, then that's OK, Which I felt a bit like last
night when the moments came his way, he looked sharp, but then
he would go missing. That's my, my kind of hit on him
a little bit. But if you're getting him on the
ball and you're getting him going, then he, you know, the

(31:14):
way that he can cut through the midfield, the way he finds
little passes around the corner to create openings, it's
different. I remember there was a time I, I
did an Instagram video, live video with him.
It was during COVID and we were starting to compare him a bit to
Nagby. Nagby with a bit more of a

(31:34):
thirst in the final third to, tocreate and to gamble and to do
things. And I think if you, if you look
at it, he had a goal against Seattle in Seattle.
And that's actually where he tore at least one of his one of
his ACLS. But but he had a goal where he's
just driven right through the middle of the park and he and

(31:56):
he's hit it from distance and itwas tremendous.
And it was like, wow, that that is like against their rival from
Portland. It was like this is this is
their guy for the future. And then when he did, his ACL
came back. He got to the point where you
were saying that again. And but I remember it wasn't

(32:16):
long. He was playing on a high level
again after his first ACLA, highlevel again when we were saying,
OK, he's back. And then he tore it again, which
was heartbreaking. But that goal from Seattle
always stands out in my mind that he just it, it was, it was
different than any of the midfielder in the league to what
you saw. But lovely guy.

(32:37):
Yeah, some great moments, I think.
No, I mean Ross, great guy. I remember Atlanta thoroughly.
It was 1 where I came back and it's the first stop.
They got me back from the loan early and it was 1 where as he
said, like it was one of those moments where I knew Portugal
was behind me and it's OK. How can I show up next year?

(32:58):
How can I I make my mark next year?
And then yeah, through it all, it was one.
I know, I think Ross actually did a when I resigned in
Portland, he did kind of like a analysis video on me.
And I think still to this day, and if I'm ever feeling down,
it's actually when I go back andwatch because it it, you know,
highlights different points of my game.

(33:19):
And it kind of adds that confidence of like, you know
what, you can do this. And I think as he said, coming
back from the first ACL was fouryears ago, almost around this
time, came back in seven months.It was a quick turn around.
But you have the confidence of everyone at the club, everyone
around me, just to kind of go out there and and, you know,
show what you can do, what you can do.
And I think it was come came back flying.

(33:42):
As you said, it's now you're at the top of arguably your game
again and trying to get into thenational team, not making the
World Cup or I think it was a fitness camp right before the
World Cup was kind of that a moment of disappointment.
But again, I think it's one where you you come back from,
you go into 2023 and you know, you going into January camp
going into got called into US, Mexico and Arizona.

(34:05):
And that week ended up doing my ACL again.
And it's one where it was so heartbreaking.
I think the second one hurt a little more than the first
because I actually didn't know Itore the second one.
I played a full game actually, when I was torn ACL and 90
minute game thought it was good.My agent sent me a text.
Hey, one of your better games, Ithink you'll get called into
this camp. Found out on Tuesday.

(34:27):
I was going into camp Wednesday,did the MRI and had texted them,
hey, I want to fly in and out ofOregon, everything there.
And yeah, it's just it was one of those moments that one was a
little bit more of like a longerprocess.
That one was essentially the whole season.
I think I played six games that year.
I. Mean the whole everything has.

(34:48):
To regrow over regrow. Yeah exactly.
And then you're getting into theconfidence of now you're in pre
season and and instead of it being like chasing a moving cart
target with now I'm getting games and I can play 20 minutes
here. You're now 10 months out and
you're OK. Now I have to work through pre
season. Everyone's you know essentially
working in and around the same. You look at last year was an up
and down year as well of you know some games were good and I

(35:11):
some games not so good, some games starting, some games not
starting and I think you look atfeeling.
OK, like does. It feel amazing.
I think especially this year, coming into this year, I felt
better than I felt coming back from my first CCL.
It's just more so now it's you're, it's a different way of
being healthy. When I came back from first CCL,
I think I was picking up injuries left and right.

(35:33):
Last year was OK, like, hey, canI do the right things to make
sure everything's good to go, everything's stable.
So that coming into this year, you know, trying to stay away
from any hiccups and again, doing the right things, but also
adjusting to now a new style of play, a new team and everything
there. And I think as Ross said,
there's there's moments where you feel confident and you feel
like, you know what, everything's good again,

(35:54):
everything's great. And then there's a moment of not
getting on the ball and feeling like distant from the game.
But I think that's one that justcomes with time.
It's easy to say it comes with consistent games, but at the
same time, it could be two gamesand then have a rough game and
it's just kind of getting that consistency back as one of our
conversations I had with Gio Savarese in Portland was, you

(36:15):
know, making sure the games are consistent.
You know, Cam with the second team in Minnesota, even every
time we play Minnesota, it's that conversation.
He allowed me to find my game fine, My confidence of early in
the game, maybe it's a little more simple later in the game,
you know, you can take a little more risk and ultimately play
full 90s. And then when you kind of get

(36:36):
into full 90s, then it's, you know, can you elevate your game
every single game and consistently do it?
And I think with all that said, bringing that here, it's like,
OK, now I know this is the role or this is the situation, You
know, going to Red Bull's never going to be easy.
Going to Kansas and playing in Kansas is never going to be
easy. And it's like, can I bring my

(36:56):
experiences and my quality into those games?
And you look at some of those moments of those games, I think
it felt like, it felt and lookedlike I was myself again.
But then at the same time, it's,you know, making sure that's
consistently, you know, for 90 minutes.
And I think a lot of that comes with time and and, and being on
the field. And it's just one, you know, how
can I do the things behind the scenes to make sure that it's

(37:18):
good for if it's 15 minutes, if it's 72 minutes and it's for 72
minutes. So it's just again, going back
to the little things and and doing the little things.
And, you know, Dean instills confidence in on all of us to
make sure that we're ready to gocome match day.
But at the same time, you never know what the game springs and
it's games where I think I'm going to go in and play a big

(37:38):
role in, you know, exactly or teams playing unreal and it's
look, you don't change this. You know, if it's not broken,
don't fix it kind of ordeal. And and there's been a lot of
moments that year where I'm looking and it's like, wow, like
it's going to be hard to break in this team.
But I'm going to continue to push the guys in my position and
make sure that, you know, they know that I want to be here and

(37:59):
fight and be in the position they're in just as much as
they're in them. And I think again, the midfield
group I've talked about multipletimes.
We have such a healthy battle that it honestly makes it fun.
You know, in training if someonehas a good day and you know, if
someone else doesn't have such agood day, it's we can also bring
each other up and not bring anyone down by any means.
And again, it it's just been such a such a fun year and it's

(38:22):
good that you know, we're hitting the ground running right
now and then continuing that until the rest of the year.
I. Mean your mental approach is is
amazing battling those injuries,coming to a new place where
you're you're battling to get back into that.
And you, like you said, it's almost like a catch 22.
You don't get the minutes, can'tshow, but then showing the
training, like what is it that you feel like you need to really

(38:45):
take to another level, maybe on the training so that you do get
the more minutes? Yeah, I think it it's just
continuing to influence the gameand influencing the ball, to say
the least. I know that, as Ross said too,
if there's been, you know, beingable to, if guys are pressing me
and, and this is where I, I try to, you know, have a similar

(39:06):
game to Nagby where people say he's unpressable, you know, and
it's like, can I bring those moments into training sessions?
Can I do it in games? And I think with all of that to
be said, there's risk in it as well.
And it's, you know, one taking those risk in the right moments,
but at the same time in the right places.
I think he's one where he knows his game and fortunate enough

(39:27):
for him, he's continuing to put to play at a high level.
And it's for me. Can I take that into my game and
bring that into training? If we're doing possession, can I
get on the ball the most if we're doing 11 B 11, like how
can I get on the ball and and affect the game in a positive
way? And I think there's moments this

(39:48):
year where it's you really feel that.
And there's moments in training where it's, you know, guys like
Eric, you must have slept reallywell last night.
And it's like, no, it's just, you know, like I, I know I have
little goals and little challenges for myself in
training. You know, can I be on the ball
the most? Can I have the most passes?
Can I score today? You know, like little moments at
is. That just like an inner voice or
do you have like things you write down?
Inner voice, I would definitely say inner voice because with

(40:10):
games sometimes training, so, you know, you we aren't doing
exactly what I think we're goingto do in every training session.
Different. Every game is going to be
different. The way we prepare for Red Bull
is going to be different how we play prepare for like in
Orlando, you know, and I think little moments and mental cues
like that are where it's OK. Like, hey, can I get better at
at doing this? Can I get better at can I switch

(40:32):
the ball the fastest? Am I going to be the one to make
the final pass? Can I score the goal today?
You know, just little things. And again, I think it comes with
different positions. If I think mentally OK going
into this game, I'll play as a 10 and the game I'm playing is
kind of a deeper role than everything that I had planned
essentially changes. So it's like, can you make that
little small mental note of, OK,actually this is going to be the

(40:54):
goal for today. Right.
This is where you need to focus based on how you need to play
for what's you're being asked right off the pitch.
You've had some fun things you've done, kind of did your
playful side with the William Erickson.
Yeah, the the, I think that's onthe cover for You did the
interview with that was with theThorns.
You did the interview with Trey from the Orioles.

(41:15):
Yep, Yep, Yep. So like you seem to like to do
that, that you did thing in the summer with Bronica and stuff
like that, right? So you seem to like those kind
of things. Is there something about that?
Do you ask? You're like, hey, I'll
volunteer. No, actually, funny enough, if
you ask some of our media side, I actually like hate being in
front of camera. I hate mostly I would not say

(41:37):
the attention, but like if they asked me to do something, I'll
do it. Especially with Brant, he's it's
one where we have a special relationship where every time we
see each other, no matter how good or bad, it's somehow
there's a joke being made on whatever else it is.
So it's, you know, little moments like that feel natural
and candid and not forced. But at the same time, some of
the other interview stuff was, you know, fun and playful.

(41:58):
I think it was the Trey interview was great because, you
know, a local guy playing for the Orioles was like, everything
made sense there. It was really cool, unique
interview. The William Erickson we actually
came up with probably the day of, if not two or two days
before. Yeah.
It was just like, yeah. And I like, I think the men's
and women's team in Portland hadsuch a good relationship that

(42:21):
made it really fun and candid. And I was that every single game
they knew I was there. And it was funny enough that,
you know, they didn't notice it was me.
Obviously some of them did, but they're like, Eric, what are you
doing here? You know, I I think it's a
different situation if I don't know them as personally.
But yeah, it was, it's cool. I think, you know, I'm big for
miked up moments because I thinkthere's a funny side to me that

(42:45):
comes out naturally. And I think if it was if you
asked me to record a segment today in training, it wouldn't
be as as candid and natural. But it's like little miked up
moments where if no one knew some of the comments and jokes
that people say. Yeah, exactly.
And they all make fun of my middle name because Eric
Williamson is just kind of like AI don't want to call it a basic

(43:06):
name. But then you add Tyreek into it
and they're like, oh, where yeah, where did Tyree come from?
And it's the way my mom spelled it as well as a little unique.
And, you know, obviously these guys are are cracking jokes
about it and calling me Tyreek now in the locker room a little
thing. So no, it just makes it fun.
And again, I think it just showsthat like, usually when I'm
around a group that is this close and knitted, it makes it

(43:30):
fun and natural. And, and, you know, guys even
gave me a hard time. I still have the water gun in my
locker and guys will come grab it and shoot it around a little
bit. Oh, I actually don't know.
I my like my mom just yeah, justthe name she liked and it it
popped up. But you can spell Tyreke with
all the letters. My first name.
That's all. You just add a tee to it.

(43:51):
So the. First names you need to.
Yeah, exactly. Doesn't surprise me.
So coming back to Charlotte, what are some things that you've
enjoyed most about Charlotte? And then maybe some things that
surprise you that you're like, oh, this is a nice bonus.
Yeah, I everyone had talked about how similar it was to
Oregon in terms of the you know,everyone here loves their

(44:12):
coffee. We they love beer, they love
food. There's a lot of similarities to
Oregon and I grew into coffee. I used to get black coffee and
do three things of sugar and whole milk.
And it was disgusting for, in myopinion, real coffee drinkers.
And it's now it's, you know, I'mgoing to coffee shops and I'm

(44:33):
trying all these different beansand, you know, trying to get out
to, you know, maybe try a beer or two or something that makes
Charlotte. And it gives me hints and
memories of, you know, growing up.
I used to be, you know, one where I only went to chain

(44:54):
restaurants. And now it's trying all the
local restaurants and being ableto pick the brains of guys on
the team of, OK, what's the bestsushi in the city?
And, you know, I have three different answers.
OK, can I try a different sushi?What's the best steakhouse?
What's the best Italian spot? And now I'm, I'm getting into,
you know, trying to cook. You just like to.
Cook. I do like to cook I it's just

(45:14):
more so of I. Think all athletes have to do
that because. Yeah, and I was, I was 1 where
my first two meals I made it actually in Portland.
I was sick. I think I undercooked chicken a
little bit and I had stomach pains the next day.
I still have memories of I posted it maybe on Instagram
like, oh, first meal I made and surely not the next day.

(45:36):
I was actually, I went to the doctor so slowly got around to
cooking and it's more so of likefor example, if we have a Sunday
off, can I go for a nice Sunday dinner?
I'm sore, I'm tired from the game.
Before it's probably easier to go out, but during the week it's
easier to cook and much more it's it's a lot easier to cook
now that you're. Closer does your family come
more? Family comes, they've been to, I

(45:58):
want to say three games now. My mom tried to say for like 3
weeks and I was like mom like you can just drive down for the
games. You don't have to stay here the
whole time. So it's like that that I love.
I didn't realize how dog friendly Charlotte was.
And with my dog, he's like the most playful, energetic dog
ever. And he's like, oh, he goes
outside, he meets all these friends and it's been really

(46:19):
good to see and have good conversations with a lot of
people about not only dogs, but just what to do being at like,
there's there's a lot that I wassupposed to do this summer that
I didn't get to do of WhitewaterCenter and, you know, getting
out to the beach and everything between.
But it was like once we got settled after our all of our
weight trips, I was like, you know, maybe it's time to stay at

(46:39):
home for a few days and kick thefeet up.
So a lot. I think the only downside is I
forgot about the humidity and it's been kicking my butt.
It's been kicking the dogs butt and he's the.
Last two weeks it probably felt like Portland as far as.
So amazing he's out step, you know, jumping in puddles and
doing everything between becausehe, I feel like he misses rain a

(46:59):
little bit, dealt with mosquitoes in a long time.
And I think I had like 40 the other night because I'm, I was
out chit chatting with one of the neighbors and no bug spray,
no anything. And it was just yeah.
And it's. So that's the only thing, you
know, I've seen as a downside sofar, but missed thunderstorms,
missed little things like that. And of course, knowing my dog,

(47:21):
he doesn't really know what a thunderstorm is.
So he's like, what's that noise?It goes right back to sleep, so.
Is there anything that somebody doesn't know about you or these
fans might be listening, if you could learn about Eric that they
don't know, that you haven't shared.
You really want them to know, right?
This is who I am. I don't know.
I'm an open book and I say that I think that yeah, I'm not

(47:42):
really. I'm a movie guy.
However, I'm terrified of horrormovies.
So I think it's I could do TylerPerry.
I love a comedy movie, but like some of the like deeper, darker
ones, not so much. I like even a movie like Get Out
terrified me. I heard Sinners is a little
scary and I put in quotations and it's like, I could watch it

(48:04):
Tuesday at 2:00, but if anythingpast seven, it's like, I don't
know, for some reason I I can't get into Yeah.
And it's, yeah, I think outside of that, I'm yeah, that it's
medial. Tea, we have a last part of our
podcast Quick answer questions. It's stoppage time, your walk up

(48:24):
music. Walk up music.
Oh, I don't know, it depends on the day.
It depends on the day. Today it was Bus it Baby by
Pyles. On a normal day, I think like a
pregame walk in song. I would say maybe like a gun, a
song, just something real mellow.
Walking onto the pitch could go like old school little Wayne so.

(48:49):
Yeah, stadium you'd love to playin much haven't.
Yeah, honestly, I think I've played in.
Funny enough, I would love to play in RFK Stadium now that it
it's closed. It's I never was able to play
there. Yeah.
Must do ritual before matches. A pasta kind, buttered noodles,
butter noodles, flat. Switch it up.

(49:11):
Sometimes I can do fettuccine, Sometimes it's like a bow tie
Rigatoni. Switch it up all right.
If you weren't. A soccer player.
Oh, funny enough, I've recently talked about this.
I'd be a Somali. A Yeah, you've gotten into that.
Well, this is because. Of the organ influence, organ
influence. I don't have the palate to be a
Somali A, but I think in a different world I would.

(49:31):
I'd grow a palate. OK.
I watched Drops of God on Apple TV and it changed.
I wanted to be a Somali after. Yeah, it's exactly favorite.
Unplugged activity. I'm guessing just.
With your dog? Just with the dog.
No phone. Walk outside, talk to neighbors.
Yeah, off leash. Let him run around and then do
his thing. Maybe a little hiking.
Charlotte, there's so many places that the dog's just.

(49:54):
Saying I've, I've met so many people and it's tough to say,
but there's been, I've met so many people in the neighborhood
that I know the dog's name, but I don't think we got around to
their name so all. Right.
You have a go to snack when you're just hanging out watching
a match or something like that. I want to say they're called
Good Made. They're organic chocolate chip

(50:14):
granola bites. Get them.
On the plane, on the real. Is starting or finishing a
project. Finishing because starting funny
enough, I'm like someone I'll start a project and then I'd be
like, oh, you know, I'm cleaningthe whiteboard and then I'll
drop something and think oh, I got a vacuum and then the
whiteboard wouldn't get done so finishing it for sure.

(50:38):
Yeah, exactly. Quiet time with the dog I'd say.
No TV, everything unplugged, just him looking at me as normal
human and looking at him as my best friend.
Good one there. No problem.
Thank you. That's it for today's episode

(51:01):
with Eric Williamson. From his early days to Virginia,
to growing up as a pro in Portland and now bringing his
experience and energy to Charlotte FC.
Erics story is 1 of resilience, creativity and culture both on
the field and in life. We'll keep following his journey
this season and we can't wait tosee what's next for him in
Charlotte. Thanks for listening and we'll
be back soon with more stories from the people who make

(51:22):
Charlotte FC what it is. Enjoy your day.