From Takapuna Grammar to North Harbour and the Blues with a stint in the Defence Force rugby team to boot – all leading up to a World Cup debut for Wales.
Yes, Wales.
Such is the rugby pathway of the New Zealand Navy's own Sub-lieutenant Kate Williams who has been called up as late injury cover to the Welsh squad to face the Black Ferns this weekend in their do-or-die quarterfinal.
Williams, born in Swansea to Welsh parents, was floored by her remarkable rugby rise.
"To even get a sniff, to even be training in the starting position, I'm feeling overwhelmed," Williams told 1News.
"It's amazing, it's something I never even dreamed of."
Arriving in Auckland as a four-year-old, Williams has come through the ranks in Auckland where she has captained North Harbour in the Farah Palmer Cup and played for the Blues in Super Rugby Aupiki.
All the while though, the loose forward has bled red.
"I've always felt, even being in New Zealand and growing up here, I've always felt really Welsh."
Most recently, she's been leading the New Zealand Defence Force team and was actually mid-competition when Wales called seeking her as replacement for injured flanker Alisha Butchers.
"She rung me pretty much immediately after that and she was quite overwhelmed as you can imagine but very excited," Defence Ferns manager Wing Commander Joe Tasker said.
"She was like, 'oh, Joe, I'm not sure if I can go, I want to stay with the team', and I said, 'no Kate, go pack your bags, take a breath, then go head to the hotel and go join them, we're proud of you and we want to support you all the way'."
Her only experience with Wales before that was three weeks of preseason training after she initiated contact with coach Ioan Cunningham.
"He kind of said if I was over in July, come have a train and through work and stuff I had a month off so I took my chance and booked my tickets."
North Harbour FPC coach Bill Wigglesworth said he wasn't surprised Williams' proactive nature was paying off.
"I was involved with the club side and Kate was only 14 at the time and she wanted to play in the senior women's team," Wigglesworth recalled.
"I was like, 'oh mate, you're a bit young' to which she presented me a note from her dad to say she was okay for her to play and I was like, 'yeah, nah, not today Kate'."
That day is coming though with Captain Kate ready to answer the Welsh Call this Saturday in Whangārei.
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