Julian Wade aka “Juju” was born and raised in the capital city of Roseau. He wears the #7 jersey for the senior men’s national team and is Dominica’s all-time leading goal scorer. He has been representing Dominica from the youth level up to the senior team level. 

Interestingly, Wade noted that his journey as a footballer started as early as the St. Mary’s Primary School. During Primary School he attended the Wayne George Football Academy in Bath Estate and trained with “Sacka Boy” in the Windsor Park. “Growing up in Dominica we did not have a lot of resources as footballers. I started kicking bottles of water which I believe helped with my co-ordination,” he stated. Wade refused to leave football behind and carried it with him to the Dominica Grammar School.

Throughout his years at high school, he recalls training with the senior team, Bathroad Ambassadors, who laid the foundation for him to play competitive football. Fascinatingly, he expressed, “A lot of times people say the area you come from defines you. I am not a firm believer of that. I spent most of my time playing football in Bathroad with the boys from Virgin Lane and there was not one occasion where I was offered drugs or alcohol. It was simply an environment of pushing me to be a better footballer.” Remarkably, he considers his mother and older brother as his inspiration from then to now.

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Furthermore, the time came when he no longer trained with the Bathroad Ambassadors, but played matches as well. According to Wade, he made his name as a talented striker at a match in the league where he scored a hatrick against St. Joseph. With his makeshift training system and personal motivation, he aimed to leave a mark and be an influential person.

However, there was a bump in the road. In 2009, Wade got the opportunity to go to Montserrat to become a police officer. He served diligently at the Royal Montserrat Police Service for three years while continuing to play football.  It was no surprise that his skillset gave him a secure spot on the Montserrat national football team. The regional matches he played for Montserrat brought him much attention and recognition from coaches in Trinidad and Antigua and Barbuda.

In 2013, he was offered an opportunity to go to the United States to play for six months. Upon request for leave, he was denied on the basis that the police service was short staffed. “I thought to myself that this cannot be my life. With all this talent, I am not destined to be a police officer. So, I resigned from my job,” he explained. This decision proved to be a nightmare as after resigning, the opportunity to go to the United States never came to fruition.

What next? Wade returned to Dominica in 2013 in an effort to get his life back together. While back home, he contacted one of the coaches from Trinidad who showed interest in him and was offered a training opportunity. With the help of family and friends, he was able to go to Trinidad to continue the only dream he had envisioned for himself.

From 2013 to 2015, he represented the Caledonia AIA now called the Morvant Caledonia United in Trinidad. He brought himself international recognition after scoring the lone goal for Caledonia AIA in a 3-1 defeat against Mexican giants Tolouca FC in Mexico. This goal made him one of the very few Caribbean players to ever score against a Mexican club in Mexico. This success paved the way for future opportunities.

From 2015 to 2017, he was recruited at a football club in Guyana known as “Slingerz FC”. During his two years, he secured the Championship titles for the Kashif and Shanghai Tournament, the first ever Stag Elite Tournament and the Mayor’s Cup. He was also awarded top scorer for the Stag Elite League. Moreover, from 2017 to 2019 he was offered a contract to play as the main forward for the Solidarité Scolaire Club in Guadeloupe and was the leading goal scorer for the team.

While Wade seemed to be floating in opportunities, the Covid-19 pandemic made its landmark and devastated the world. All regional leagues were closed while Dominica was the only country with its league still progressing. Accordingly, he made a decision to return to his homeland where he played club football for the Bath Estate FC and trained with the national team for the World Cup Qualifiers. Nonetheless, his visit to Dominica was short-lived as he moved to Scotland in 2021 with his wife.

Destined to play football again, Wade tried contacting various clubs but was unsuccessful given that he had no player statistics within Scotland. However, he played friendly matches on Sundays to get the much needed exposure. He provided a coach with his football CV in the event that any team developed an interest in him. “About a month later I got a phone call from the club advisor in Brechin stating that the Club had a keen interest in me,” he expressed. Wade was offered a training and trial opportunity and after two days he was given an offer of a lifetime to be signed by the club. “All I can say is that I got this opportunity through my CV reaching the right people,” he opined.

Having now played 12 matches for Brechin City FC, Wade has secured six (6) goals and three (3) assists to his name. One of his accomplishments is having been featured on the BBC World News. Nevertheless, his biggest accomplishment is having navigated through this journey. He posits, “My biggest accomplishment is feeling genuinely happy and fulfilled. I did not have a clear direction or path to follow. I took risks and leaps of faith. So to actually be in the position I am in right now is definitely my biggest accomplishment.”

Moreover, he feels accomplished having influenced and motivated others. “My younger cousin at SMP did a school project on me. That to me is the reason I started football. This is the same Juju from Gardens. The same Juju who survived the same conditions. Now to give people something to look up to, is a dream come true,” he stated passionately.

Furthermore, Wade stated that there have been many challenges that he has encountered. “When you are a foreigner, you have to work twice as hard. There were times that my stats and performances were better but I would be denied a starting position because I am from a smaller island,” he stated. Nonetheless, he explained that it all comes down to adapting to the style of play and ensuring that he stays sharp as a striker.

Notably, when Wade is in Dominica he does a great deal of volunteerism in coaching, and he is also a part of the Growing Women’s Football programme launched by the DFA, as well as the Women’s Football Committee. Wade is also pursuing his degree at the University of the West Indies in Sports Leadership and Management. 

With his qualifications and experiences, he hopes to one day create a platform which could effect changes in the mentality of players. He expressed that he would like to encourage all footballers to get a CV, do the work and believe in God. As the journey with Juju continues, he hopes to continue to inspire, educate and motivate.