Every Friday, Futbolita profiles inspiring women making a difference in football across the community.
This week, Borussia Dortmund’s Julia-Vanessa Farr shares her story of working for the eight-time Bundesliga champions.
“I’m Julia-Vanessa Farr, Manager International and New Business in Singapore for Borussia Dortmund. I’ve been working with Dortmund now for more than six years. Before coming to Singapore I worked for the BVB Evonik Football Academy Department and the Marketing Department.
“When I was in university, I worked for smaller clubs such as VfL Bochum and MSV Duisburg from Bundesliga 2 in the Communications Department. For VfL Bochum, I also worked as a youth coach in the academy. I did an internship in the U15 academy boys’ team before I took over my own teams, the U13 girls and then the U17 girls, who were playing in the Bundesliga 1.”
What are the highlights of your job?
It’s an honour to do what you love! I’ve been into football since I was a young girl and to talk about your favourite sport and your favourite team is the best thing you can do. I love to spray out the black and yellow colours to the people in this part of the world. It’s amazing to meet many different people from different countries, cultures and different backgrounds and to see that our hearts all beat the same way. Once it comes to football, we all speak the same language.
As a woman in football, did you face any challenges? What are they and how did you overcome them?
A couple of years ago, I used to play in one of the highest leagues in Germany, but you can’t compare it to male’s football at all, the “salary†you get only covers your expenses to go for trainings and everything. So as a women you train as hard as the males but you also have to handle your full time job and other commitments, that’s quite tough, but therefore you see that girls who play football reaaally love the game and do everything for the game and not for money.
In the end I decided to focus more on my education and my job than on football, but I still love this sport and try to play as often as I can. Â
What is your earliest memory of football, and how does it shape who you support now? Favourite player(s), if any?
My first memory of football? I always watched the boys playing at the playground and always wanted to join, but they never let me until I just took the ball from them. We did a penalty shot out and we made a deal, (which was) if I won, I’d be allowed to join them – and I beat them ☺Â
Maybe I would have never been into football and into this business if I would have lost this penalty shot out as a 10 year old girl. 😉
My favourite players? I always look up to hard working players.
Complete this sentence (in your own way) : A Futbolita is someone who has her heart in her feet….Â
