Career change: Dorchester, Ont. chiropractor signs professional soccer contract

Chiropractor Julia Benati is about to make one of the biggest adjustments of her life.

The Dorchester, Ont. native is taking a leave from her clinic to pursue a professional contract after signing with the Ottawa Rapid FC franchise in the new Northern Super League (NSL).

“We're going to have my father come back as a chiropractor in the clinic, and he's going to kind of come out of retirement for the span of the season,” said Benati.

“It definitely takes the weight off my shoulders knowing that my patients will be in good hands still, but I don’t think he’s too thrilled I’m uprooting his travel phase right now,” she said.

This week, Benati became the first player announced by Ottawa, one of the six franchises in the new domestic women’s professional league.

Julia Benati of Dorchester, Ont. is joining Ottawa Rapid FC of the Northern Super League. She was training at BMO Centre on Jan. 8, 2025. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“It's the inaugural season, so everything is fresh and new,” said Benati. “We don't have tons of information yet. We know that the season [is] starting in April, we have about a 10-week pre-season camp coming up.”

She will leave in a couple of weeks for that camp, which will be at a new indoor facility in Ottawa.

“It's been a big few years for sports in Canada for women,” said Benati. “They have the basketball league that started in the WNBA, they've had the professional hockey league start and now women's soccer to follow.”

The 28-year-old midfielder has played professionally before, but not in her home country. After finishing an NCAA career, she travelled to Norway and then joined the top league in Portugal.

Chiropractor Julia Benati is temporarily handing over her practice to her retired father as she pursues a professional soccer career with Ottawa Rapid FC. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

Back home, she’s a four-time midfielder of the year in League1 Ontario with FC London.

“We're so proud of Julia,” said Dave DeBenedictics, general manager of FC London. “She’s an ambassador, a captain for the team for many years. It's a proud moment for not only for our club, FC London, but also for all of London.”

Benati scored 41 goals in 76 career games across eight years with FC London.

“This gives every female in London an opportunity to have that that aspiration, that dream. This is history in the making,” said DeBenedictics.

Chiropractor Julia Benati is temporarily handing over her practice to her retired father as she pursues a professional soccer career with Ottawa Rapid FC. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

Until recently, very few female athletes have been able to make sports a full-time career. Many have had to have a profession. The NSL is hoping to change that by starting minimum salaries at $50,000.

“I think this league is going to create a change for women soccer players, where you can actually play within your own country and maybe actually make a living off of it,” said Benati.

With a combination of technical ability, attacking skills and tenacity, Benati is the perfect choice for the Rapid.

“This has been my goal, to be part of the league that inspires the youth, generations of women's soccer players to reach their goals in soccer,” she said. “Before, we've had to make that choice between getting a career and playing professional sports, because it didn't pay a lot. I'm excited to be part of the start of something.”