Jenessa Fournier

My name is Jenessa Fournier, and hockey has been a huge part of my life and has made me the person I am today. At the age of 5, I started to learn how to skate and started playing hockey competitively at age 7. Growing up in a small town of approx. 600 people, I had the opportunity to play both boys and girls hockey until I was 12 years old. At 13, I decided to play female hockey. At 15, I tried out for the AAA U-18 female hockey team in Swift Current, Sk. Being one of the last cuts was frustrating for me. I was determined to become a better player by developing my skills that year playing with the AA female U-18 team and proving to the coaches that I could play at the AAA level. The following year, I did just that, and made the AAA team and played two years. I received a scholarship from the Red Deer College women’s hockey program and began playing with the RDC Queens. Once again, I had to prove myself. During the first year and half, my ice time was limited, but with hard work and perseverance, I became a leader and a player the coaching staffed relied on. Through the obstacles I have overcome, I have learned some valuable life skills.