Female athlete of the year
Jana Akins strides down the field attacking towards the goal
Jana Akins is a senior on the Girls Soccer Team who has been awarded Athlete of the Year. Jana was chosen because of her work as one of the captains on her team and the overall success she’s helped bring to the team. She helped lead the team to victories in the Best in the West Tournament, league championships and Battle of the Bell, as well as a first-round appearance in CIF. Once she graduates, she is off to be a forward at California State University, Northridge, playing at the Division I level.
Jana’s love for soccer started when she was around four years old. In eighth grade, she made the jump to play club soccer. More recently, she’s played for Slammers HB Koge. Jana started her career at Estancia on the varsity team her freshman year. Her coach says “Jana is one of the most improved soccer players we’ve ever had.” During her time on the team, she won CIF along with multiple league championships.
During Jana's junior year, she suffered from an ankle injury that forced her to miss an entire season after surgery. While the setback was difficult, Jana said the injury “made me work harder to come back.” Coach Josh described her as a player who always strives to be the best at what she’s doing. “Every day she shows up to practice whether it is here, club, or training and attacks it,” he said. “She was always looking for a way to become better each and every day.” With this mentality, Jana pushes her teammates to play on her level, “if Jana comes out and is going 100 miles an hour and other people are not ready or prepared, they’re just gonna get run over that day.”
Jana puts a lot of effort into her technique. She believes what makes a player stand out is “always going 100% everyday and never giving up.” During games, she’s known to put a lot on herself, wanting to step up in big moments, like scoring goals. Jana scored some of the biggest goals for the team this season. She’s always prepared for challenges and takes them head on. She’s been a huge influence on her teammates and will leave a lasting impression on the program for years to come. “When it came down to college decisions,” Jana said, “choosing CSUN was a no-brainer.” Jana thanks her parents for always being there to push her to be the best she can be. She thanks her coaches for helping her develop her skills and for believing in her success. Through her leadership, work ethic, and determination, she has become a role model for younger players and will continue her success at Cal State, Northridge.