Julie Paetsch is an athlete from Lanigan, Saskatchewan. Currently, she is a two-sport athlete in hockey and football. Selected by the Calgary Inferno in the 2013 CWHL Draft, she is also a competitor for the Saskatoon Valkyries of the Western Women's Canadian Football League. She would also compete with the Canadian national women’s team at the inaugural IFAF World Women's Football Championships in 2010. Three years later, she would once again compete for Canada. At the 2013 IFAF Women’s Worlds in Vantaa, Finland, she would be named one of the captains for the Canadian team.
Athletic career
Hockey
Prior to joining the Saskatchewan Huskies in 2008, Paetsch competed for the University of Regina Cougars. During the 2009-10 campaign, she participated in 24 games, scoring 10 goals and accumulating 26 assists. Her 26 assists during the 2009-10 stand as the second highest single season total in Huskies history. The following season, she recorded nine goals and 14 assists in 24 contests. As a fifth-year student, Julie Paetsch was named the 2011-12 Canada West women’s hockey Player of the Year. The Huskies alternate captain, Paetsch finished the season as the Canada West leader in scoring with 34 points. Her 14 goals and 20 assists were accumulated in 24 games as the Huskies enjoyed a won-loss record of 16-6-2. Her seven power play goals ranked third overall in the CIS, while her 113 shots led all CIS skaters. In ten contests, she had multiple point games, while logging three or more points on four separate occasions. It marked the second time in Saskatchewan history that a skater has been named Canada West MVP. Breanne George claimed the award in 2009-10.
Football
She would a silver medal at the 2010 women's World tackle football Championships in Stockholm, Sweden and in 2013 at Vantaa, Finland. In 2010, she would be Canada’s leading rusher with 321 rushing yards. Three years later, despite losing to the United States again in the gold medal match, she was named Canada’s Most Outstanding Player of the Game. At the 2013 IFAF Worlds, Paetsch was the leading tackler for Canada. In the gold medal game against the United States, she would lead all Canadian players with 11 tackles. She would return one punt for 35 yards and a touchdown in a win against Spain while ranking third on Canada with 101 all-purpose yards. With the Saskatoon Valkyries, she would help the squad to WWCFL championships in 2011, 2012 and 2013. During the 2011 WWCFL championship game, she would score four touchdowns as the Valkyries defeated the Edmonton Storm by a 35-7 tally. For her efforts, Paetsch was recognized as the game’s Most Valuable Player.
