All in the Family: Dyson Williams Preparing to Face his Father Shawn this Weekend
NLL Oshawa FireWolves

All in the Family: Dyson Williams Preparing to Face his Father Shawn this Weekend

Published on January 30, 2026 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Oshawa FireWolves News Release


Shawn Williams, Dyson Williams and their family
Shawn Williams, Dyson Williams and their family
(Oshawa FireWolves)

OSHAWA, ON - Playing professional sports is both a privilege and a burden. Players compete at the highest level of their sport while upholding an organization's reputation regardless of the standings. The Oshawa FireWolves enter Week 10 of the 2025-26 National Lacrosse League season with a 2-6 record, but Dyson Williams isn't letting the slow start distract him from an upcoming high-stakes matchup in Las Vegas.

"Playing in this league is not easy. Game in, game out, you're playing some of the most athletic, toughest, fastest defenders in the world," said Williams, who has tallied 22 points this season. "For me personally, I would love for some more balls to fall in the net. As a group, we all agree that we have all the talent in the world in that locker room. On offence, we know that we have the ability on any given night to light it up and score."

Oshawa is currently in the middle of a four-game road trip that hasn't gone as planned. After dropping contests to the Saskatchewan Rush and Colorado Mammoth-and being outscored 30-21 in the process-the FireWolves are looking to salvage a .500 trip in their final two games. For Williams, the next stop is personal: it's round two against his father, Shawn Williams, the Head Coach and General Manager of the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.

"We're looking for redemption. My dad's up 1-0 all-time in games we've played against each other," Williams said, recalling last year's tilt in Albany. "The first time we played, it ended with one of my best friends from home, Adam Poitras, canning the overtime winner in our barn."

Now in his second NLL year, Williams is closing in on 100 career points. He currently sits at 86, though it might have been 85 if not for a strategic coaching decision his father made last season to challenge one of Dyson's goals.

"It was probably one of the first things brought up right after that game," Dyson laughed. "We can separate the father-son relationship from player-coach. When you're going against each other, there are no special favors. It's a professional game. If their staff thinks he should throw the flag, he makes that call. I'm not holding any grudges-that's his job. I'm an Oshawa FireWolf, and he's a Las Vegas Desert Dog; we're battling."

Oshawa has the opportunity to climb back up the standings with a big win in Las Vegas that will help them build momentum. They face a Desert Dogs squad bolstered by high-profile offseason signings and solid draft picks. "The Human Highlight Reel" Chase Fraser, former second-overall pick Chris Cloutier, and 13-season veteran Mitch Jones have led the Desert Dogs to a 3-3 record. Despite the star power in Vegas, Williams remains focused on the growth of his own young unit.

The FireWolves' offense averages just 26.28 years of age, with most players having six or fewer years of league experience.

"The good thing is that we're still a very young group," Williams stated. "We're gaining experience and chemistry with each game. We just have to come in, battle, and try to be the best we can be."

That "battle" mentality is shifting from a seasonal goal to an immediate necessity for the locker room.

"We want to start winning now," said Williams. "We're entering playoff-mentality territory. Every game is becoming a must-win. We have to take it five minutes by five minutes, quarter by quarter, and start stacking success together."

The Oshawa FireWolves take on the Las Vegas Desert Dogs at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, NV, on Saturday, January 31, at 10:00 PM ET. Fans can catch the action on TSN+, ESPN+, and NLL+.

Don't miss Star Wars Night on February 14 when the FireWolves travel to a "Galaxy Far, Far Away" to face the San Diego Seals.

Check out the Oshawa FireWolves Statistics

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Shawn Williams, Dyson Williams and their family
Shawn Williams, Dyson Williams and their family
   



National Lacrosse League Stories from January 30, 2026


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