Janet Testwuide

Janet Testwuide

Janet Testwuide wears her heart on her sleeve. On both sleeves, in fact.

She is the mother of Colorado College senior, hockey player, and team captain Mike Testwuide – and the mother of former University of Denver hockey player and team captain J.P. Testwuide.

The rivalry between the CC and DU hockey teams is legendary, and there aren’t too many ways to appease both sides. But Janet Testwuide, of Vail, Colo., has negotiated this slippery ice as only a mother can. For the three years her sons were playing on rival teams, she wore a hockey jersey split up the middle: Colorado College on one side, University of Denver on the other.

A friend of Testwuide’s made the jerseys for her by cutting a CC and DU jersey up the center, then sewing the opposite halves together. The result is two jerseys that are the mirror image of each other. (This also conveniently solves the problem of which school is over her heart; the team on home ice gets the left side.) Her friend also put each son’s number and captain designation on the appropriate shoulder.

But there is good news for Colorado College. The split jerseys have been relegated inactive this season because J.P. Testwuide graduated from DU last year. “That means this season is completely dedicated to the CC Tigers,” Janet Testwuide says. “Next year, when both boys are alumni, I’ll bring the jerseys out of retirement for the CC-DU games.”

Husband Paul Testwuide acknowledges the rivalry by wearing the home team’s cap when the two teams play each other. “He doesn’t do the split jersey,” Janet Testwuide says. “It’s a mom thing.”