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Former Saipan resident plays football in Guam
A former Saipan resident is now playing American football in neighboring Guam.
Juliana De la Rosa Mendoza, a former employee at the CNMI Division of Environmental Quality for over 11 years, suits up for the Steel Blazers, which is an all-women’s tackle football team in the U.S. territory.
After one year of settling in her family, Mendoza found herself taking up another hobby aside from Polynesian dancing.
With no knowledge of the sport, she was recruited by a three-year veteran to play for one of Guam’s best women’s tackle football teams.
Mendoza signed up for the Steel Blazers only to find out she is one of the oldest members in the team.
She said the first two weeks of training was all military-style conditioning. After two weeks, tryouts began. Mendoza tried out for defense only to find out she was selected for the offense instead.
After two months of extensive training and practices, Mendoza earned her spot and placed first string as the offensive guard. She was selected based on her ability to understand and read plays, agility, and strength.
She also is a sub for the center, who hikes the ball, if need be. The Steel Blazers current win-loss standing is 4-1 with half a season already in the books. She currently wears the No. 72 jersey.
Before moving to Guam a year ago, Mendoza was an employee working of the CNMI Division of Environmental Quality as the Safe Drinking Information System administrator under the Safe Drinking Water Program.
She is married to Raymond P. Mendoza and has three children, Jerry Boy, Jiana, and Kierstin. Mendoza and her two daughters were in a Polynesian group call Pua Hinano of Tekana Hau Nui Dance School of Saipan for over five years and Mendoza was the group’s emcee/spokesperson.
Making a big move to Guam to assist her ailing parents, Mendoza continued to do what she loves best by working to protecting the public health and the environment and landed a job under the Safe Drinking Water Program for the Guam Environmental Protection Agency as a Special Project coordinator. (PR)
