The talented Geretsrieder (42) had to end his ice hockey career early due to injury, while his two years younger brother made a career as a goalkeeper in the DEL.
Markus Janka is today the chairman of the River Rats and is regularly on the ice with Andreas for the Geretsrieder AH team.
Andreas and Markus Janka celebrated numerous successes in the junior ice hockey team at TuS Geretsried.
The older brother had to end his career early due to injury, the younger one played as a goalkeeper in the DEL.
Markus Janka is today the chairman of ESC Geretsried - exactly before his father Oskar Janka and his grandfather Jakob Ehgartner.
Geretsried
- During their childhood and youth, Andreas (42) and Markus Janka (40) spent almost every free minute together - not least when they played ice hockey together for TuS Geretsried.
Then they went their separate ways for many years for professional reasons.
Today, on the other hand, the brothers see each other in the office almost every day - together with father Oskar Janka, they are the managing directors of what is probably the largest waste disposal company in the Oberland.
The fact that ice hockey should become the number one sport was dictated by the family.
“My grandfather Jakob Ehgartner was ice sports department head at TuS, and later my father too.
So we automatically slipped into it, ”says Andreas.
At the age of four he took his first steps on the ice, but quickly put his skates aside: “It was all a bit too rustic for me.” A season later, the second attempt followed, this time together with his brother.
He quickly drew attention to himself with his talent as a goalkeeper.
“I played my first league game when I was five.
At that time there were four different age groups in one team, ”reports Markus.
And he also remembers the first sporting highlight: “When we played against EC Bad Tölz, I kept my first high shot - but with my head.
Incidentally, it was from Klaus Kathan. "
Markus always played with the elders as a goalkeeper
Successful years for the Janka brothers and TuS followed.
There was also a high point: in 1993 the Geretsried students under the unfortunately deceased coach Siggi Kinkal first became Bavarian champions and then third in the German championship.
"That was one of the most successful years of the TuS ever", emphasizes Andreas, who as captain led the team around the later national player Andreas Morczinietz and today's drummer Peter Oscar Kraus.
The young TuS'ler also triumphed in the youth age group.
"We screwed up the championship for SB Rosenheim with a 7: 6 win on the last match day," remembers Andreas.
"They were just too sure."
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His greatest triumph: In 2014 Markus Janka (right, next to his goalkeeper colleague Timo Pielmeier) became German champion with the Ingolstadt Panthers.
© dpa
Although two years younger, his talented brother was always there too.
“Of course we also competed outside the ice rink - in football and other sports.
Then I mostly lost because I was the smaller one, "says Markus and laughs.
In 1997 the brothers moved up to the men's area in ice hockey.
TuS played in the regional league, coach was Mike Wanner and the team included veterans such as Hubert Jellen and Christian Ott, Peter Holdschik, Toni Demmel and Heinrich Korph as well as renowned professionals such as Ron Chyzowski, Reijo Mikkolainen, Juris Opulskis and Vlastimil Vajdak.
“The Ron took great care of me.
We always put in extra shifts after training, ”remembers Andreas of the Canadian who now works in the youth department of the EHC Munich.
His then 17-year-old brother took turns in the box with the older Markus Franzreb and Wolfgang Werner.
Shoulder injury means the end for Andreas
The following year Markus was definitely the number one goalkeeper at TuS, while Andreas' career ended quite abruptly after eight point games: “I dislocated my shoulder during training.
It just didn't get any better - I ran into problems even with the smallest check. ”In addition, he had meanwhile started training in his parents' company.
“At that time I had to decide what was more important to me.” He then joined the company, although a few years later - with a shoulder operated on - there was a successful comeback in the Geretsrieder 1b team.
But then as a defender: "I had always taken on the role of the defensive striker in my block."
Markus regrets his brother's early retirement: "He had a lot of bad luck with injuries." For the young keeper, on the other hand, the gate to the big ice hockey world was open.
In 2000 he signed his first professional contract with the Schwenninger Wild Wings.
Other stations in the DEL were Krefeld, Straubing and Ingolstadt.
In the meantime, the Geretsrieder made five international matches for Germany, but was also temporarily loaned to the 2nd Bundesliga in Regensburg, Duisburg and Freiburg.
Andreas was always close.
"I was always his biggest fan," emphasizes the two-year older brother.
Whenever Markus stopped off with his teams in Munich or Augsburg, a delegation of Geretsried friends was usually in the stadium.
“And of course I also suffered when Markus was injured again or couldn't get through,” says Andreas.
Why the keeper often did not get beyond the role of backup, the brother analyzes objectively: “Maybe he was missing the very last bite.
The great ambition, such as a Robert Müller had. "
Markus ends his career in Bad Tölz after years in DEL
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Markus Janka is today the chairman of the ESC Geretsried.
© Archive
When Markus then hired in Ingolstadt in 2010, his brother and many friends often came to visit.
"For the 2014 DEL finals, we even grew play-off beards," reveals Andreas.
Which obviously brought luck, because Markus celebrated one of his greatest successes ever when he won the title with the Panthers.
After a last DEL season in Schwenningen, Geretsrieder guarded the Tölzer Löwen for two years.
He was twice "Goalkeeper of the Year" in the major league and helped the traditional club to return to the 2nd Bundesliga.
Andreas was also nominated for the farewell game in the Heinz Schneider ice stadium.
"That made me really happy," emphasizes the brother in view of the top-class line-up with Thomas Greilinger, Michael Wolf and Co. That didn't stop him from playing a trick on his brother.
“He announced before the game that he would score a goal against me.
But I never thought that he would dare, ”says Markus and laughs.
And shortly before the end the time had come: Andreas had his back to his own box, but tried to outsmart his brother with a backhand shot.
“But he didn't succeed,” emphasizes the goalkeeper.
Puck hunting together in the AH team
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Andreas Janka is a passionate golfer.
© Archive
Markus can now return the favor every two weeks if - apart from the corona-related break - the Geretsrieder AH team goes on the ice on Thursday evening.
"I'm playing in attack now, but of course Andreas won't let me pass," reports the 40-year-old about brotherly duels.
On the other hand, the decision as to which of the two should stand for the chairmanship of ESC Geretsried was undisputed.
“It quickly became clear that Markus would do that.
He simply has a lot more know-how, "admits Andreas.
Incidentally, the passionate golfer sees more sporting talents growing up in the next Janka generation: “His son Kilian is just as crazy about ice hockey and a good goalkeeper among the ESC youngsters.
And my Kilian has quit ice hockey, but at the DJK Waldram he is very enthusiastic about football. "
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