2-Sport Star and WWCFL Champion Julie Paetsch Registers for CWHL Draft

A 5'3" dynamo, Julie Paetsch brings a power-packed game to the hockey rink and the football field. Currently competing with the Saskatoon Valkyries of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, Paetsch has registered for the 2013 CWHL draft.

Hailing from Lanigan, Saskatchewan, Paetsch is forging a remarkable legacy in Canadian women’s sports. Using No. 8 as her digit of preference for football and hockey, Paetsch is a capable leader who also understands the pressure of representing one’s country and competing in high-pressure situations.

As a member of the Canadian National Team that claimed silver at the 2010 Women’s World Tackle Football Championships, Paetsch delivered MVP-caliber numbers. She led Canada at the event with 329 rushing yards. This was a significant number as Canada accumulated 500 total rushing yards (Paetsch accounted for 65.8 percent of Canada’s rushing).

Her best performance may have come on Canada Day 2010. With a 20-12 win over Germany, Canada clinched first place in Pool B along with an appearance in the gold medal game. She was named Game MVP as she scored the game’s opening touchdown on a 69-yard run.

Since that event, Paetsch has been competing in the WWCFL with the Valkyries. Employing remarkable tenacity, she has claimed two WWCFL championships, complemented by undefeated seasons in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Having been named as a reserve for the Canadian National Team competing at the 2013 Women’s Tackle Football Championships, Paetsch is still a remarkable asset on the gridiron.

In the realm of CWHL hockey, Paetsch would be a perfect fit with Team Alberta. Desperate for scoring, Paetsch would bring a much-needed punch to Alberta’s dismal offense. During the 2012-13 CWHL season, last-place Alberta scored a league-worst 30 goals. The next-worst team was the Toronto Furies with 60 goals.

With the Saskatchewan Huskies hockey program, Paetsch brought great leadership and an enthusiasm for the game. Her effort culminated with a CIS All-Canadian selection in her senior season. During the 2009-10 campaign, she logged an astounding 26 assists, the second-highest regular-season total ever.

Two seasons later, she would finish as the Canada West scoring champion with 34 points on the strength of 14 goals and 20 assists as the Huskies enjoyed a 16-6-2 record. Of note, her 113 shots in that season would rank first overall in Canadian Interuniversity Sport hockey.

During her final season with the Saskatchewan Huskies, she was named the 2012 Canada West Women’s Hockey Player of the Year. This was complemented by being named a First Team Canada West All-Star.

Fellow Huskies hockey player Danny Stone has also registered for the 2013 CWHL draft. Having played with each other, the two would maintain remarkable chemistry if claimed by Alberta. As Team Alberta’s captain is Chelsea Purcell (a former captain with the Saskatchewan Huskies hockey program), these three titanic Huskies alumnae could be the key to helping Alberta earn its first trip to the Clarkson Cup playoffs.