#20,  5' 9", 176lbs, b. 11/22/86  

Lese Dunton: What motivates you? 

Jesse Felten: The love of the game. I want to jump on the ice whenever I can. I always want to be playing. 

LD: Where are you from? 

JF: Cashton, Wisconsin. 

LD: When did you first step on the ice? When did you know you loved hockey? 

JF: Well, when I was 5 is when I first started playing. My first time on the ice, I just fell in love with it right away. It¹s a really great sport. I grew up playing with a lot of my brothers and sisters and we just helped each other get better, and pushed each other. My parents drove us everywhere to play hockey. 

LD: I heard you have 17 brothers and sisters. 

JF: A few that were adopted and my parents had five that were biological. 

LD: And you were adopted? 

JF: Yup. 

LD: That must have been a good experience. 

JF: It was. 

LD: So little by little you realized you were quite good at hockey. And then where did it go from there? How did you land up on the A's team? 

JF: I played with Coach Rob Miller last year in Brooklyn, and last summer I didn't know quite what I was doing. He gave me a call and told me he was coaching here at Aviator Sports & Events Center. Wanted me to come play for him. I jumped at the opportunity. 

LD: When you came to play for the A's this season, did you move all the way from Wisconsin to Brooklyn, NY to do it? 

JF: Yes, I came from Wisconsin again. 

LD: What hopes and goals do you have for the future? 

JF: As soon as my playing career is over I'd like to get into coaching and running camps during the summer. It's definitely a sport I'm going to stay with my entire life. Help develop younger players and help them love the game as much as I do. 

LD: Do you imagine playing in the NHL? 

JF:  Just like everyone else out there, it's always been a dream. You don't know if you're going to make it or not, but you're always trying to get better, and do what you can to get to the next level. It's a hard road to go down, but it's fun. A lot of great memories. 

LD: Describe what it's like when you get a goal. 

JF: It's an unreal experience. All the guys are excited for you. And celebrating with you. There's no feeling like it really. 

LD: What are some tricks of the trade? 

JF: Just keeping your head up and playing smart. Always going hard, no matter how much time is left in the game. 

LD: What do you do when you're not playing? 

JF: I'm either working here at the rink, or working out, or hanging out at the house playing video games with the guys. We have a hockey house where guys who have to travel a long distance get to stay at. 

LD: So that's your home, the hockey house? 

JF: Yes. 

LD: What's your job at the rink? 

JF: We skate with the youth hockey program a lot. And we do some rink maintenance ­ wherever they need us to give them a hand. 

LD: What ages are the youth? 

JF: Anywhere from 3 or 4 to 16 or 17. 

LD: With the little ones, what are some essential tips? 

JF: Keep your knees bent and your head up, and just go play!