Janelle Wilk is skating in select company with the Alberta ringette team for the Canada Winter Games.
The Edmonton Elite centre from St. Albert joins the best belles in the province in their quest for gold at the high level multi-sport event Feb. 13 to 20 in Prince George, B.C.
“It’s very exciting. You can’t really describe it,” Wilk said after scoring once in Saturday’s 9-1 exhibition win over Team Saskatchewan at Mark Messier Arena. “Our goal as a team is to be crowned champions at Canada Winter Games. If we can play consistent and play our game as hard as we can we’ll be happy.”
Wilk, 18, is among 10 Edmonton and area belles on the 18-player roster.
“We all know each other a lot playing against each other for the past five to 10 years,” she said. “Making the team really represents all the hard work we’ve put into everything. We’ve been playing since we were four.”
The lineup was finalized after a lengthy tryout process.
“The coaches had been scouting us for a couple of years before tryouts. I guess we’ve always been showing up and playing our best for a few years,” said Wilk.
She plays forward on Team Alberta coached by Kevin Harrison of the Elite.
“With Janelle it’s just pure power like shot and accuracy. There is no tomorrow. She has the ability to go into the offensive zone and just take the game and slow it right down and then set up other players with good passes and then get that absolutely amazing shot away,” Harrison said.
At the recent Central Alberta AA Sting Tournament in Lacombe, Wilk scored the Elite’s third goal and assisted on the game winner in the 6-3 decision against St. Albert Mission in the final.
Wilk finished the tournament with four goals, second-most on the Elite, and was tied for first on the team in points with seven in five games.
Wilk described herself as a playmaker who thrives on controlling the ring.
“I’m fairly dynamic. I see the ice well so I can really set up other players.”
Wilk has national experience in U19 belle AA, highlighted by a bronze medal with Zone 5 Grit in 2013 at Fredericton, N.B.
At the international level, Wilk competed for Team USA at the 2012 U19 world championship in London, Ont. Team USA, France and Russia were part of the development group of countries at worlds. They were unable to put teams together at the elite level so their rosters featured Canadian players through Ringette Canada’s Mosaic program. Wilk was one of nine Alberta players in the Team USA lineup.
Wilk’s last St. Albert team was U12 petite.
The Paul Kane High School grad takes pride in serving as a role model for younger players.
“When I was little watching the older girls play I was always inspired so it’s kind of cool to be that inspiration for others.”
