When senior Vanessa Magsino talks about hockey, it’s clear it has always been part of her life.
“Growing up, I was always around hockey. My dad played, and my brother did as well, but I also started out doing figure skating shows with my sister. Once I started playing, I grew to love the game.”
That love grew alongside her development as an athlete, and over time, hockey became more than just another activity. “Growing up, I practiced up in Vernon Hills at Glacier with the Ice Dogs, and then I moved on to playing girls hockey with the Chicago Mission. After playing for many years, I grew to love the game even more. It became more than just a sport to me.”
That sense of purpose made her junior-year ACL injury especially challenging. When asked about the hardest part of recovery, Vanessa reflects:
“It was definitely my mental state. It brought me to some of my lowest moments, and it was also my recruitment year, which made it even more frustrating when thinking about what that could mean for my future. It also made me miss the game even more - not being there with my teammates. It was definitely hard.”
Sports can serve as a powerful outlet for students who not only want to improve their physical well-being and sports performance but also find being an athlete is part of their identity, confidence and sense of community. It’s easy to imagine then how a sports injury can devastate any student-athlete. But for Vanessa, at a time when athletes may choose to step away after an injury, she kept showing up.
“I would still show up to practices and games most of the time. Being there with my teammates definitely made things better. Hearing people encourage me or tell me that rehab was going well really helped me along the way.”
Recovery was not quick or easy. “My recovery process was pretty slow, which was frustrating, but it helped to know that healing takes time. It was hard, but I’m here now. I’m better and healed, and it all worked out.” Through it all, she learned how to balance independence and support. “I tried not to let the injury stop me. I learned how to work with myself and figure things out, but I also learned to accept help from others who wanted to support me.”
Being around her teammates reshaped how she viewed leadership. “It taught me that being there for each other can really
help fulfill people’s happiness. Being there in general made me feel better when I couldn’t play, and their encouragement really helped my days feel better.”
When Vanessa returned to competition, she carried that perspective with her. “I’d say I returned as a different person. I learned how to mentally take things differently. In sports, I learned to take advantage of experiences and to really appreciate them. I learned to enjoy the moment while I can - and that’s how I approach things now.”
Encouragement became central to how she showed up as a teammate. “It definitely showed me that being more encouraging and uplifting helps both off the ice and on the ice. Being that kind of person can really help the team and lead to better outcomes.”
That mindset followed her onto a global stage when she represented Team Philippines at an international tournament, serving as alternate captain and being named MVP of the gold medal match. “It was definitely an amazing experience. It was really special to know that people around the world were watching and that it could help motivate or inspire other kids to want to represent their own country. It was a great opportunity for me, and I took a lot of pride in it.”
Looking back, what stands out most is not a single game or medal, but the journey itself.
“I’m definitely more proud of my journey - being injured, feeling down, and going through my lowest moments. I’ve come back as a better version of myself, and I’ve learned a lot along the way, both off the ice and on the ice.”
Her takeaway is simple, but lasting.
“Definitely learn to live in the moment. From being injured and everything that came with it, I learned how important that is.”
