Janice was born in Stockton, attended McKinley Elementary, Marshall Jr. High, and Edison High School before attending Chico State. She returned to Stockton as a teacher/coach in the Stockton area after graduating from Chico State in 1979.
At Edison High School, Janice was a star athlete in three different sports: basketball, volleyball, and softball. She led the Edison girls’ basketball team to three league basketball championships, setting various school records. She was voted the most valuable player by the league and was selected as Edison’s Female Athlete of the Year in her senior year.
At Chico State she starred in three sports: volleyball, basketball, and track and field. She led Chico State to three straight basketball conference championships, setting school records for rebounding and blocked shots. In 1978 she was voted ASA All-American and was also selected as Chico State’s Outstanding Female Athlete.
Following college, Janice played ASA softball for 16 years. She was considered one of the best female athletes in the Stockton area and one of the best ever in San Joaquin County.
Janice taught and mentored student athletes for over 30 years in Stockton Unified School District. In 1997, she was inducted into the African-American Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2003 was voted into the Chico State Athletic Hall of Fame. She was the first person to receive the Female Coach of the Year Award in Stockton Unified School District. She was a great asset to many high school students with her encouragement and knowledge of the games.
