Strength, agility, and passion are all things freshman MaKenna Filleman has in order to be the best hockey player she can be. She has always been in love with the sport ever since she joined 10 years ago.

“My favorite part of being involved with hockey is the community and how if you need anything, their arms are always open and they will make time for you,” Filleman said.

She began her hockey career as a figure skater. After a year, she decided that she wanted to play with a team instead, and switched to playing hockey with her older brothers. She started playing on a boys team and later moved on to play with a girls team. There are several big goals for her ahead and she does not plan on quitting.

“I will continue playing through high school and college and hopefully go to the Olympics,” Filleman said.

In the meantime, she enjoys playing on her Junior Lancers hockey team. With 17 goals this season, she recently became the new total points leader with 23 points.

MaKenna’s mom is also a big fan of hockey especially with her family.

“I just love the fan base around hockey,” Tonya Filleman said. “We have so much fun when we go to any hockey game, and I personally love to watch how they all skate too,” she said.

Her older brother Cam, a 2017 MSHS graduate, also loves connecting over hockey.

“If there’s anything other than blood my siblings are bonded by, it’s hockey,” Cam said. “It’s universal between us all,” he said.

Playing a sport also comes with having that competitive fire you often see in an athlete.

“I do get really competitive with hockey,” MaKenna said. “My entire family is also very competitive so there is always some sort of competition between us,” she said.

Everyone can see MaKenna’s fire when it comes to playing hockey.

“She’s probably the most aggressive person on her team,” Cam Filleman said.

While competition is a big part of playing hockey, they are still always supportive of each other.

“We all have a passion for hockey and a passion for our family, so it’s really not hard for us to be supportive,” Tonya said.

MaKenna may be a tough athlete but she sayd family will still always be the most important to her.

“I do enjoy having hockey be something my family can enjoy because all the time we spend at the rink together really brings us closer,” MaKenna said.