Juliana Chupp serves as the assistant coach and social media manager for the Goshen College women’s soccer team. Hailing from Campinas, Brazil, her connection to the program runs deep, as she first made her mark on the field as a player before returning to contribute to the team’s success from the sidelines. Chupp was a member of the women’s soccer team from 2012 to 2014, making 26 appearances for the Maple Leafs during her career.

In 2018, Chupp returned to GC as assistant coach, where she wanted to bring stability to the program.

“I was here for four years and I had four coaches, so it was always a transition zone. New year, new coach, so it was a little bit of a challenge,” she said. “My main reason I wanted the job was to make sure all the things that happened when I was here as a student wouldn’t happen when I was here.”

Chupp is proud of her impact on the team. “That’s my biggest flex because if we compare the years that I was here, it’s totally different,” she said. She wants to make sure her players feel welcome in Goshen, often opening her home to her players. “I love them and care for them, I want to see them happy and healthy not just physically but mentally,” Chupp said.

Chupp’s job at GC transformed after the birth of her son. This, combined with her owning a business with her husband, meant she could no longer commit as much time to coaching.

In response, she shifted to the role of social media manager and started to help Justin Crew, head coach of women’s soccer, with recruiting. Crew was determined for Chupp to remain involved with the team. “I came one day to talk to Justin to tell him I was going to quit and he said ‘No, I’m not going to let you leave, you’ve got to figure something out,’” she said.

Chupp believes that her job as a coach is to help her players develop both on and off the field. “We want to have girls that want to grow in life and be a good human being and to succeed in life, not just in soccer … At some point, soccer is not going to be the biggest part of your life,” she said. “At least for girls, it’s more about womanhood, being together and being there for each other. That’s what I believe anyway.”

Isabel Massud, senior film production major from São Paulo, Brazil, plays as a defender for the Leafs. She believes that Chupp is a valuable member of the athletic community at GC and describes her as being like a “mom in the U.S.”

Chupp has become a recognizable face across the athletic department for her work as a photographer, often in attendance at basketball and volleyball games. She takes media day photos for all but one of the sports teams on campus. Her work caught the attention of people across the athletic department, including former athletic director Erica Albertin.

Chupp recalls her conversation with Albertin. “She was like ‘You got me in trouble because you did media day and now everyone wants it,’ and I was like ‘Well, let’s do it for everyone, hire me.’ That’s how it started,” she said.

She believes that she is providing athletes with a gift, and that “photographs are memories that you can take with you forever, and I love the fact that I can be the one to give it to all the Goshen College athletes here.”

For Chupp, the athletic department and Roman Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center feels like home. “I love working out and being healthy, so this is literally the best place for me. I love being around people and this school. It’s what keeps me on my toes. It keeps me alive,” she said.

What stands out for Massud is Chupp’s enthusiasm. “She is always around and loves the community, not just the athletes. She is always willing to be there to help students, she does it because she loves it,” Massud said.

Chupp emphasized her love for her job at GC. “I already have a job that will provide for me and give me what I need to live, but [taking photos] is what I need for my heart to make me happy and smile,” she said.

Chupp wants her players to look at the bigger picture while in college. “Sometimes, we don’t have the results we want, but as long as we’re happy later, together and growing, that’s what matters to me,” she said.

With Reporting by Liam Shaw