{"id":575873251,"date":"2021-12-06T17:22:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T23:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winnipegfreepress.com\/our-communities\/sports\/2021\/12\/06\/aiming-for-success"},"modified":"2021-12-06T17:29:52","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T23:29:52","slug":"aiming-for-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winnipegfreepress.com\/our-communities\/sports\/2021\/12\/06\/aiming-for-success","title":{"rendered":"Aiming for success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Julia Bilous is a 16-year-old Grade 11 student at St. Mary’s Academy who is a dedicated and hard-working student.<\/p>\n

She’s equally dedicated to playing hockey with the school’s Flames Prep program (which is separate from the school’s WWHSHL team).<\/p>\n

“School is going well,” she says. “It’s very busy right now with school, tests, and hockey, but things are going well. As far as a favourite subject goes I have always liked math and the sciences. I like biology and I have been enjoying physics more as of late.”<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Supplied\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Supplied photo\nJulia Bilous, a 16-year-old player with the SJA Flames Prep program, hopes to earn a scholarship to play hockey at a Canadian university.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n

Julia enjoys playing with Flames Prep.<\/p>\n

“Our head coach is Larry Bumstead. We have a good close team. This year has been fun because we have been able to travel,” Julia says. “It’s been a real positive year, no drama. I will be friends with these girls forever.”<\/p>\n

Julia recently made the shift from playing forward to playing defence and she’s enjoying the transition.<\/p>\n

“I have been playing hockey since I was five. During all those years I played forward. This year I made the move to defence and it has been a fun journey. Defence is a lot more stressful and you have to think a lot more,” she says.<\/p>\n

“On D you are a part of the second-last line of keeping the puck out of your net. At the start, the importance of skating backwards was challenging, but lots of edgework and training has helped a lot. I am having a lot of fun.”<\/p>\n

Julia lives in Royalwood with her dad Jeff, mom Candice, and brother Jack, who plays high-level hockey with The Rink Hockey Academy.<\/p>\n

“I want to thank my mom and dad for always supporting me through my journey,”  she says. “They have always been very supportive for any decision I have ever made.”<\/p>\n

Julia works hard in the classroom with a 99 per cent average and she also works hard on her game.<\/p>\n

All the effort is focused on achieving a specific goal.<\/p>\n

“I have been thinking about it a lot recently. I want to play college hockey and try to secure a scholarship to play. Ideally I would like to stay in Canada.”<\/p>\n

I have no doubt that she will.<\/p>\n

Julia has this to offer other athletes:<\/p>\n

“Keep working hard. Don’t let anyone get you down. Keep trying your best and don’t give up on your dream.<\/p>

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