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As 15-year-old Klára Jandušíková embarked on a nearly 4,000-mile journey from Prague, Czechia, to the United States, she was accompanied by just her luggage and youth teammate Kristýna Kaltounková. The Czech natives were eager yet nervous to advance their hockey careers.

Without their parents, Jandušíková and Kaltounková spent the next three years at Vermont Academy, a private school in Rockingham, Vermont, excelling on the ice in a small town of under 5,000.

“In the moment, it felt like the right thing to do,” Kaltounková said of moving to the U.S. with Jandušíková. “It felt like something that needed to be done in order for us to be successful with hockey.”

Eight years later, moving to the U.S. has proved to be the biggest turning point in their lives. Jandušíková is a focal point on Syracuse’s defense, while Kaltounková has emerged as one of the nation’s top scorers at Colgate. Following three years as a standout defender at VA, Jandušíková began her collegiate career at Division III Colby College, becoming a staple blueliner across her three-year career. Jandušíková’s efforts earned her several call-ups to the Czech national team, medaling in two separate international tournaments.

Long before Jandušíková dreamt of crossing the Atlantic, a pair of rollerblading skates sparked her interest in hockey. Jandušíková’s parents encouraged her to learn to skate in first grade, using the wheeled roller shoes as an introduction. Later on, she observed friends playing hockey in her hometown of Brno, prompting her to test her skating skills on the ice.

Jandušíková began playing hockey on co-ed teams in Brno, where she was one of just a handful of girls on the squad. Yet, as she grew older, her local teams prioritized an all-boys squad, leaving her to find a new team outside her hometown.

“My parents would drive me to practices either 30 or 45 minutes away,” Jandušíková said. “In elementary school, it was fine, but with the transition from elementary and middle school to high school, it became impossible.”

Klára Jandušíková moved to the United States with aspirations of playing Division I hockey as a 15-year-old. Eight years later, she’s living out her dream at Syracuse. Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor

So, she began searching for other options. Jandušíková and Kaltounková, who met playing for the Czech under-15 squad, saw teammates move to Sweden to play professionally. They discussed the possibility of attending school within Czechia and threw around the thought of moving to America.

Ultimately, in the fall of their ninth-grade year, Jandušíková chose to test the waters and play hockey overseas. At a school fair in Prague, Jandušíková and Kaltounková spoke with representatives from VA.

When Jandušíková returned home in the winter, she filled out the admissions application. Come summertime, she was en route to America. Both Jandušíková and Kaltounková decided VA would bring them valuable education and important coaching.

“Obviously, moving overseas at 15 years old was a huge step,” Jandušíková said. “I think knowing that I’m not there alone helped a lot. Also (I was) excited about the opportunity to go to school, develop my English and play hockey along with that on a high level.”

They quickly adapted, helping VA win a 2018 New England Preparatory School Athletic Council title as first-years and becoming captains by senior year.

Kaltounková’s goal-scoring prowess earned her offers from several top programs before committing to Colgate. The path to the next level wasn’t as clear for Jandušíková, however. She aimed to play Division I hockey, but opportunities weren’t presenting themselves immediately.

The summer before her senior year at VA, one of Jandušíková’s coaches spoke with Colby staffers on a recruiting trip. Soon after, Jandušíková was on the phone with their coaches. A few months later, she visited campus in Waterville, Maine.

“I was so hesitant to make that decision, because I was like, ‘You want to play D-I, I don’t know if this is what I really want.’ But then I finally made that decision, and I’m really glad I did,” Jandušíková said.

When Jandušíková began her time at Colby, she again found herself in a foreign place with little familiarity. It didn’t help that her freshman season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jandušíková then appeared in all 22 games for the Mules as a sophomore, scoring her first collegiate goal in a 9-0 win over Plymouth State and tallying three assists on the season.

“She had been in the U.S. before, but she was never a student at Colby before, and she knows nobody. She put her best foot forward, and she took that risk,” Colby head coach Holley Tyng said. “The growth that she gained from that experience is just unspeakable.”

Her results continued on the international stage, playing with the Czech national youth teams from the U15 level to U18. Following her sophomore year and a hot start to her junior season, she was called up for the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, New York.

“I don’t even know how to describe it,” Jandušíková said. “It’s always a great experience and honor to represent the Czech Republic at that stage.”

Jandušíková was a regular in the Czech lineup through seven total games in the tournament, helping it win a bronze medal.

Four months later, Jandušíková earned a call-up to the senior team for the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Brampton, Ontario. She was the only D-III player to compete in the competition.

Jandušíková ran with the opportunity, tallying an assist in the bronze medal game to help Czech defeat Switzerland 3-2 to capture her second bronze medal in four months.

“Hearing the announcer say her last name and representing Colby College … I had this proud parent moment,” Tyng said. “It was unbelievable.”

By the end of her senior year, Jandušíková helped the Mules to their winningest season ever, started in their first-ever NCAA Tournament win and represented the school at international tournaments. But she still had one goal left unfulfilled: playing D-I hockey.

Though Jandušíková didn’t have much interest in pursuing a fifth year until after competing in Brampton. Her Czech teammates suggested she try to transfer. She declined the idea, though, wanting to finish her education at Colby before making the leap.

The idea came back to her as her senior campaign wrapped up. She began reaching out to programs to gauge interest but also explored playing professionally in Sweden or Finland.

Last summer, Jandušíková worked as a counselor at a hockey camp in Sweden. There, she ran into Syracuse assistant coach Heather Farrell. Farrell said Jandušíková would be a great fit for the Orange; her experience and character made her a piece worth pursuing.

“I think (SU head coach Britni Smith) and the coaching staff have done just an outstanding job of attracting high-character individuals,” Tyng said. “She started to bring in some really talented athletes and some really wonderful people. I think I would put Klára in that category big time.”

Less than a month after meeting Farrell in Sweden, Jandušíková headed to Syracuse for the next stop on her journey. Since then, she’s become a regular in SU’s defensive rotation.

From her first flight to the U.S. with Kaltounková to her development into D-I to representing her country on the international stage, each step in Jandušíková’s career has involved a leap of faith. Nonetheless, the two teammates are satisfied with where they’ve landed.

“I would say it was a pretty successful journey,” Kaltounková said.

Published on January 16, 2025 at 12:22 am

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