Sisters by chance, teammates by choice

Naomi Campbell and Truman Bartman, Staff Writers

Two siblings who grew up playing hockey 35 minutes from Calgary in nearby Okotoks, Alta., joined forces this season on the Mount Royal Cougars women’s hockey team. For Jordynne and Jaselyn Hojnocki, the chance to play together is more than just exciting—it’s a dream come true.

Separated by two years in age, the Hojnockis didn’t play on the same teams at the same time growing up. However, their paths mimicked one another, with the eldest, Jordynne, paving the way and the younger, Jaselyn, embracing and following her older sister’s lead.

For both girls, their journeys started with a love for ringette. For worse or for better, their careers were both short-lived due to a lack of teams in Okotoks, but that opened up an avenue for them to transition into playing hockey.

“I started off playing ringette when I was five, and then we moved from Calgary to Okotoks, so I started playing hockey,” Jordynne said. “I didn’t like hockey at first. I didn’t want to switch.” 

“I think I was four when I started playing. When we moved to Okotoks, there was no ringette for girls, so I had to start playing hockey,” Jaselyn added. “Same thing as Jordynne, I didn’t really like it at first. I wanted to play ringette, but now, here I am loving hockey.”

As the sisters’ hockey careers progressed, so too did their love for the game. So much so that Jordynne chased the game, moving alongside Jaselyn and her mother to British Columbia, joining the Okanagan Prep Academy (OHA) in hopes of pursuing a chance to play in university.

“We moved to Penticton with my mom, and we rented a house there,” Jordynne said. “That was a cool experience, because we got to live together and experience that together.” 

Jordynne also elaborated on the friends she and her sister made through the game.

“I think we’re closer because, moving away together, we didn’t know anyone on our teams yet. It also became a good way for me to get to know other people through her and her team. So we became closer throughout that time for sure.”

After moving home, Jaselyn ended up playing two years with the Edge Prep School, while Jordynne signed and began her university tenure with the MRU Cougars.

Jordynne became a key member of the Cougars’ defensive core as a shutdown defender in her first season. Last year, Hojnocki was once again a productive presence for MRU, maintaining a positive plus-minus (+10) throughout her 2024-25 campaign.

Jaselyn, meanwhile, had her sights set on potentially joining the Cougars while finishing off her time with the Edge Mountaineers. 

Those hopes soon turned into reality with Jaselyn announcing her commitment to play for Mount Royal on Jan. 7, 2025. 

In many cases, it’s common for siblings to want their own shine, but for Jordynne, she was more than happy to have Jaselyn join her on the Cougars, even going so far as to give her a seal of approval.

“I definitely had a say in it, the first say on whether I was okay with it, just because I was here first, but it was a given naturally; I wanted my little sister to play here. Not everyone gets that experience.” 

The pair both joked that Jaselyn’s joining MRU meant their parents could finally watch both girls play at the same time, instead of having to split up with the travelling for two different teams — and, in their words, having to choose a favourite.

“We used to make jokes about picking favourites and who they would go to watch for the weekend,” Jaselyn said. “Of course, it was all jokes, and now, it’s nice that they can watch both of us at once instead.”

With Jordynne being a current player at MRU, there were family talks about having Jaselyn join the same team to finally be alongside her older sister. Both girls showed intense eagerness to finally have the opportunity to play together for the first time.

The sisterhood that the two hold is, without a doubt, special. While many siblings spend their time bickering or trying to stand out individually, the Hojnocki pair have embraced the privilege that comes with being sisters. 

Jordynne has welcomed the task of being a role model and protector for her sister. 

“I enjoy this team, this coaching staff, and everything about MRU so much that being able to share that with Jaselyn as an older sister excites me,” Jordynne said. “It’s been super exciting to show her the ropes. At the start, it was exciting to bring her in and explain how everything works and show her the relationships I have with my teammates.” 

As for Jaselyn, she reinforces the important role that Jordynne has played in helping her reach the stage that she’s at now, even going as far as saying she looks up to and in many ways admires her.

“I’ve always followed in her footsteps and looked up to her throughout all the years, even though I don’t like to tell her that,” Jaselyn said. “Just being here, it’s nice that I’ve had someone give me advice and tips. That made it a little bit easier of a transition.” 

Being siblings isn’t always easy, and neither is being teammates. But for Jordynne and Jaselyn Hojnocki, their appreciation for one another has helped them become not only the players but also the people they are today.  

As Jaselyn puts it, the two have had their fair share of disagreements over the years, but when it comes down to it, their relationship as sisters and even best friends outweighs it all.

“When we were younger, we used to fight a lot, but as we’ve gotten older and matured, I definitely consider her my best friend.”