A Rollercoaster Journey

Lysianne Proulx, Canada

My name is Lysianne Proulx. I am a goalkeeper and I just finished my first professional contract. I played this past season in Portugal for SCU Torreense in Liga BPI. 

I started playing at a young age, when I was around 4 years old. And once we got to the bigger goals (7v7) I jumped in as a goalkeeper, loved it, and have never played another position since. My football journey has been a rollercoaster. Lots of ups and downs. I have been figuring it all out along the way, and still am; what to do, what not to do, what works for me, and what does not. 

I had a few injuries during my time in college, resulting in three surgeries. I tore my oblique muscle and had an avulsion on my iliac crest. This injury was caused by a simple goal kick, something I had done 1,000 times before. My second surgery was a release of my pelvic floor (something I could no longer do naturally by myself) and a clean up in my lower abdominal. And as for the third, I fractured my scaphoid in my wrist. Long story short, this one involved a few chaotic meetings with multiple doctors and difficult decisions. In the end I had the opportunity to be taken in for surgery back in Montreal during Covid, where they put in a screw.

As for some ups; coming back successfully from those injuries; finishing my college career on a good note; getting my first National Team call up back in June 2022; signing my first pro contract. Representing my country means everything to me and in the future I want to be the best that I can be.

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?

After the season and ahead of the Women’s World Cup, I had a few days vacation and then I chose to stay in Portugal for two weeks of preparation before coming into the Canadian team camp in Brisbane in Australia. My preparation mostly consisted of gym and on field sessions - mornings on field and afternoon in the gym. 

I showed my friends, teammates, and coaches from Torreense in Portugal. I know I cannot achieve what I want to achieve without any help and so these were some of the people who helped me out during this specific time. I took photos at the field, at the gym, at the Beach Club Soccer Championship in Nazare, Portugal. This was a really fun time, and made me want to potentially pursue beach soccer after my football career if possible. The games are played with music, like what a vibe, right?

I was also given tickets for the Brazil vs Senegal game, with an amazing atmosphere created by the Brazilian fans and great goals scored. This combination cannot be beaten. 

I tried showing what I do during my days and to capture different things than what you would normally expect from a professional player. I do pretty much the same thing every day so it was a bit of a challenge to capture different things! I also took a photo of my personalised gloves by Kaliaaer, with the pink looking quite sharp.

My favourite photo is of me and my friend in the gym, with her holding a beer. I think it is different and “bold”. My friends were on vacation, I was not. I had to put in the work, but that does not mean we cannot hang out, so we make it work in our own way. 

What is one thing you always do to prepare before a game?

Get my head clear. Make sure I leave everything behind me, no matter what it is, so I can step on the field with a clear mind and just do what I know how to do. 

What are the opportunities and challenges for women’s footballers in Canada and Portugal? What changes have you seen in women’s football since you started playing?

For a start, a Canadian women’s professional league is coming to Canada, so this is a huge step for football in our country. It will open the doors to a lot of players to play professionally at home. And it will be huge for the growth of the game in Canada.

As for Portugal, the league has grown a lot, and in my opinion has a lot of potential, if the right investment is made. I would love to see the Portuguese Federation invest in the women’s game and league more, helping smaller clubs. Hopefully, with Portugal making their first appearance at the World Cup, it will help shake things up within Portugal in terms of investment in the women’s game. I think this is a huge opportunity and it would be silly not to take full advantage of it. I have fallen in love with Portugal and I wish them nothing but the best. I am looking forward to seeing the league grow and hopefully one day I will be returning. 

What role does football play in your community and Canadian society?

I grew up surrounded by football, it is where I met every single one of my friends. It brought us together, some of us go back more than 15 years. But in general I think football brings people together. 

What does the future look like for women's football? What do you want/expect to change after the 2023 Women’s World Cup?

The game grows every year and this year’s World Cup was the biggest one yet. After this World Cup, I am expecting more investment in the women’s game around the world.