 Born in Nescopeck, Pennsylvania, Williams began playing softball at age 12 in a church league.When she was a sophomore at East Stroudsburg University, Williams played for the New York Traders, a fastpitch softball team that paid her travel and food expenses for her to play during the weekends.After her father read about the AAGPBL in a "Philadelphia Inquirer" advertisement, he motivated his daughter to attend a tryout in Allentown.