This may be Devon Williams first year sporting the black and blue Switchbacks uniform, but the Jamaican midfielder is a veteran in the league and a leader in the locker room.
His nickname is "Speedy" and to my surprise, he's not the fastest player on the Switchbacks.
"There's a lot of guys that are faster than me," Speedy laughed. "The nickname actually came from my father's nickname, they used to call him Speedy back in Jamaica, and me being his first son I was Speedy Two."
Speedy was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1992. He moved to the United States in 2011 on a college soccer scholarship, paving the way for others to follow.
"When I was coming up I didn't have anyone in my community or in Jamaica where I could see and say, 'Hey that's where I want to go'," Speedy explained. "But now with social media, all the young players can see us and we're an inspiration to them."
At age 31, he is now a 3-time USL Champion and recently reached the 200 career games mark. That vast experience is part of why Switchbacks Head Coach, Stephen Hogan wanted to get Speedy to Colorado Springs.
"The defensive actions of him covering ground is probably one of the best in the league to be honest," Coach Hogan said. "And then his atmosphere around the locker room is perfect for anyone that's coming in or that's been here to see a real champion."
He's not the loudest in the locker room, but he's a leader everybody looks up to.
"If he needs to speak his mind everyone pops up and listens," Hogan said. "When Speedy talks, people listen."
Being more than two thousand miles from home can be challenging, but Speedy said the Switchbacks have made him feel welcome.
“The fans are amazing here," Speedy said. "The whole show is here and we play good soccer, so it's really amazing."
Speedy's ultimate goal is to play for Jamaica in the 2026 World Cup. He later plans to move home and help grow its soccer community.
