Chatham-Kent’s Kyle Hope, Making CK Proud

Chatham-Kent sends athletes across Ontario, Canada, and the globe each year to compete athletically. Sponsored by baCK to Chatham-Kent, we’ll be featuring local athletes who have left Chatham-Kent, and are proudly representing our community. We hope many of these athletic ambassadors for our community someday come baCK to call Chatham-Kent home.

This week, we feature Kyle Hope. A professional hockey player in England, Kyle plays for the EIHL’s Manchester Storm. A Blenheim product, Kyle completed a successful OHL career playing for the Oshawa Generals and Owen Sound Attack, going on to play with the University of Windsor Lancers, and in the ECHL for the Fort Wayne Komets before signing overseas.

Here are Kyle’s responses to our baCK to Chatham-Kent athletes interview:

1. Can you describe what support you’ve felt from your hometown/Chatham-Kent while you’ve been away?

The support from home has made the transition to being and playing in Europe so much easier. Our family has been great to help us with the transition from getting packed to come over, bringing us to the airport, as well as keeping in touch since we’ve been gone which has been a great help.

The local media updating friends and family on how games go is awesome as well as with social media we can keep everyone updated on what we are doing and stay in close contact which makes the change a lot easier. Everyone from home reaching out and wishing good luck and staying in touch so far has made us also feel not so far away from home.

2. What do you enjoy about coming home to visit?

I enjoy coming home and seeing my family and all the familiar faces and stores and getting to see all my good friends. A lot of my good friends are also hockey guys so it’s good for us to come back to a central location for the summer which is Chatham-Kent.

3. Would you consider making Chatham-Kent home again some day?

My fiancé Heather and myself purchased a house in Blenheim this summer so it will be our home for the foreseeable future. We love the small town feel and the familiarity of everything as well as being so close to family and friends when we are home.

4. What advice would you give to young athletes baCK home in Chatham-Kent?

My advice to young athletes back home would be to always be the hardest working player you can be and not to worry about any outside noise. If you are good enough they will find you, just control your work ethics and how you treat people. The Chatham-Kent hockey community I believe is growing more and more each year with the Athletes Fuel Cup and other events which is making our community closer, which in turn is going to make it better for everyone involved.