Growing up in Winnipeg, Julianna Raposo started off playing soccer. Along with her teammates she made it to the provincial championships, was offered a spot to try out for an English team due to her skills as a goal keeper, and won several Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.
“I started off playing soccer and I was on this one team and they just didn’t treat their athletes well, me included,” Raposo said.
Not wanting to stop playing competitive sports, she set her sights on a new game.
“I started off not really knowing anything and I was just really confused as to what I was doing there, but as time went on, I got a lot of support from coaches, my family members, my friends because I was the only girl in my high school playing football,” Raposa said.
Raposo played football with the St. James Rods as a linebacker, punter and kicker in the Manitoba Girls Football Association. She claimed MVP three years straight with the team.
Raposo also went to the league’s first All-Star game and captured MVP for defensive player of the game. She then went to the Winnipeg Wolfpack and was third overall in the league for tackles.
The 18-year-old was recently offered and signed a letter of intent to play with the Las Vegas Devils of the Women’s Football League Association (WFLA), a new professional women’s league in the United States.
“I never thought I’d get here. I always wanted to play on a men’s team professionally, but that was just a dream of mine, I didn’t think i’d make it,” Raposo said.
“Now that we have an actual women’s league it’s pretty amazing.”
Raposo’s early years of playing soccer gave her an innate ability as a kicker, but she also has another position in mind.
“I do want to be kicker and punter, I also really want to be linebacker. Those are my main two things that I stick to,” Raposo said.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place for travel, it’s unknown when Raposo will be able to head south.
“The training camp starts in December or January,” Raposo said. “But that is with corona and stuff we don’t know if it’s going to happen then or later, but either way it’s going to happen.”
Raposo’s family is proud of their daughters’ accomplishments and drive, saying they can’t wait to see what the future holds.
“I just think that it’s a great opportunity for girls and women to be able to play sports on a caliber that professional men do,” Raposo’s mother Jennifer said.
“So it’s a nice change.”
For Raposo, meanwhile, it’s a nod of encouragement for other women looking to get into the sport.
“I know some girls who want to play football but are scared,” Raposo said.
“Don’t be scared, just go into it. You never know what will come out of it. I went in not knowing anything and look where I am now.”
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