Photo Courtsey of AUM Athletics
How an AUM women’s soccer player hopes to change team culture
By: Dalton Kimbro
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) junior women’s soccer player Whitley Watwood is no stranger to change.
From a six-hour move from her hometown in Kentucky to a switch in her lifelong position on the field, Watwood, a special education major, has navigated her circumstances en route to a significant amount of playing time this season for the Warhawks. I sat down with Watwood to discuss her journey to Montgomery, goals for this year and leadership as an upperclassman.
A native of Benton, Kentucky, Watwood began playing soccer as a child after following in her older brother’s footsteps. “It was something I fell in love with super quick at a very young age,” she said. Watwood’s immediate interest in soccer turned into obsession; she began to play year-round, playing indoors during the winter months because of the snow. Following a successful career with Marshall County High School, where she helped lead the team to four consecutive district and region championships, Watwood signed with AUM in the spring of 2021, per her hometown newspaper, The Paducah Sun. “I liked that AUM feels like you’re in a small town, but as soon as you step off campus you’re in the middle of Montgomery,” she said. “I liked the idea of going to a different state and seeing something new. I’ve seen and experienced things here that I never would have back home.”
Though Watwood did not see very much playing time her freshman year, her consistency and steady improvement led her to more action on the field during her sophomore and junior seasons. “Almost every day during the summer you could find me in the gym or on the field running,” she said, highlighting the team’s strength and conditioning focus this offseason. She also noted a change in the team’s mindset during the offseason. “I think one thing we really tried to improve on, especially me, was our mentality. We want it more than we ever have and I think the strength and conditioning work we’ve been doing is going to show during this season.” On a personal level, Watwood is also working very hard to learn a new position; midfielder. “I’m still trying to get comfortable playing (midfield) and striving to learn that position better,” she said.
So far, their hard work has paid off. The Warhawks notched their first win of the season against Albany State in September, according to the AUM Athletics website. The Warhawks defeated the Golden Rams 5-0 in a victory that Watwood attributes to the team’s attitude. “We all had the motivation and the attitude to want to win,” she said. “Everyone, whether they were starting, or the last person off the bench wanted to win and we had a lot of energy from the beginning. I think who we are as a team showed during that game where we really haven’t in the past.”
With 12 games left in the season, the Warhawks have a long way to go and a lot more work to do. But for Watwood, her final seasons are about more than soccer. When asked about the lessons she wanted to leave for her peers, Watwood did not have much to say about the sport itself. “Soccer is something we should enjoy, but I want to bring a welcoming atmosphere and feel like someone that [younger girls] are comfortable talking to and a leader they look up to whether it’s on or off the soccer field. I want to be an overall leader.”