Hailing from the small town of Orangeville, Illinois, Tessa Janecke’s road to the United States Women’s National Team was anything but ordinary.
Janecke credits her parents for putting her in the sport at a young age. They needed something to keep her busy as she and her two brothers were loaded with energy. First, Janecke’s older brother, Cade, laced up his skates, and it wasn’t long after that she would follow in his footsteps. She grew up playing youth hockey alongside her older brother until he was in high school.
“I always wanted to compete with my brother and be on his team,” Janecke said.
Photo Credit: Tessa Janecke
During her 8th grade year, Janecke started looking into programs where she could develop her game for high school. The only problem: hockey was not her only passion. Janecke was one of the state’s top softball players too, and she struggled giving it up. She wanted the best of both worlds, so she ultimately decided to attend the North American Hockey Academy (NAHA). NAHA offered a unique opportunity that she couldn’t deny.
“It felt really homey,” Janecke said. “I could do my home schooling there for the hockey season and then come back and still play softball for my high school.”
Moving away from home at the age of 14 might seem daunting to most, but not to Janecke. She looked at the move east as an opportunity to grow both as a hockey player and a person.
“It was the best decision I could have made. Not just for hockey, but I got to experience things that kids in high school normally don’t get to,” Janecke said. “It helped me mature and changed my perspective on a lot of things.”
She captained the Winter Hawks and tallied up 46 goals and 76 assists in 78 games during her senior season. Undoubtedly a standout player on the ice, she also fostered a great deal of lifelong relationships off of it. She continues to build upon two special ones in particular during her freshman year at Penn State.
Sophomore defender Karley Garcia played with Janecke for three years at NAHA. Like her friend, Garcia, who grew up in California, moved away from home at a young age to pursue her hockey dreams. While transitioning into college, Janecke was grateful for Garcia’s friendship and guidance, not only in the weight room or on the ice, but in her day-to-day life as a new…
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