Jody Horak

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All-Time Top Players, G :
Jody Horak, Goalie, Blaine

2001 Co-Player of the Year

How She Got Started

When Jody was growing up as rink rat on the ice at Quincy Park in Blaine, she dreamed of someday playing for a state high school championship, then for an NCAA championship with the Gophers. Of course, her dreams were based on what she saw on television and experienced as a fan of boys' high school hockey and also as a fan of Minnesota men's hockey and the program's standing as one of the country's elite.

"There was no doubt I wanted to be part of all of that," she said. "I wanted to be in that (boys') state tournament playing before those large crowds on television and I wanted to go on and play for the Gophers. Yeah, I wasn't really thinking that it was a men's program..."

Jody, who became a goalie - a good goalie - in the Blaine youth hockey program, refined her skills indoors at Fogerty Arena as well as outdoors at Happy Acres and her neighborhood rink at Quincy Park. She played for Blaine boys' teams right up through her sophomore season in high school with the junior varsity after which reality struck.

"I could see I wasn't going to make it as a varsity goalie with the boys' team," she said.

After her 1999 season with the Bengals' [boys] junior varsity squad, she jumped to girls' hockey and into her dreams. [And Blaine boys captured the 2000 Class AA boys' state championship]

From an article in April 2, 2004 edition of Sportsweek by Tom Yelle

Her High School Stats
1997-98	Participated in the U.S. National Development Camp.
1998-99	Participated in the U.S. National Development Camp. Played on Boys J.V. Record: 10-1-1. Save Percentage: 90.0
1999-2000	[17-5-1, 1.41 GAA, 8 SO] Only goalie this season to stop Krissy Wendell from scoring. Blaine High School team most valuable player. First Team All-State
2000-01	Team captain. Team Record: 25-1-3. Blaine High School team most valuable player. Her record: [25-1-3, 16 Shut-outs]. Only lose was in the State Championship game. First Team All-State Star Tribune Co-Metro Player of the Year Let's Play Hockey Goalie of the Year
Career	0.96 saves percentage, 0.60 goals against average.

Jody was a three-sport all-conference player, and had the cross-training that's perfect for a goalie. The hand-eye coordination needed on the tennis court was useful for deflecting pucks, and she had honed her skills with a glove as a catcher on the softball team.

She improved her speed and agility through countless hours of off-season drills.

UM goaltender Jody Horak
stops UMD's Tricia Guest.

Jody Horak, Junior.
Blaine
2000 First Team All-State

Minnesota Goalie Jody Horak stops a shot from Dartmouth's Gillian Apps

A Final Tribute

"She's the best in the state"    Blm Jefferson coach Irvin.

"[In the 2001 state tournament semi-final game,] South St. Paul stormed the walls and attacked the towers, firing shot after shot to no avail. The only thing missing around goaltender Jody Horak on Friday night was a moat. She was as impenetrable as a stone fortress."                       Jim Wells, St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Horak is having the most dominant season of any goalie in state history. She's 23-0-3 with a .964 save percentage and a goals-against-average just over 0.6. Her 15 shutouts broke the state record of 13 held by former Blaine goalie Katie Beauduy."                             Michael Rand, Mpls Star-Tribune, Feb 20, 2001

2001 Ms Hockey Goalie

2001 Co-Player of the Year
        Renee Curtin's comment on sharing the award, "I think it's a great honor.
        She (Jody) is such a great goalie. She's awesome"

Member of the Girls All-Time Top Players listing because of twice
       "First Team All-State"