Levi Tetrault, A Chatham-Kent Athlete Who Came baCK

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 now baCK, living, working, and staying connected to our own vibrant sports community in CK.

This week, we feature Pain Court’s Levi Tetrault. Tetrault spent multiple seasons with the OHL’s Guelph Storm in his hockey career, which he ended captaining the GOJHL’s Leamington Flyers.

Tetrault now lives in Chatham-Kent and is also attending Police Foundations, and serves as an assistant coach for the Chatham Maroons.

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

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Pain Court, Ontario which is about 15 minutes west of Chatham. I grew up in an old farm
house that was out in the country.

What is your favourite Chatham-Kent pastime?

I wouldn’t say that I have one particular thing that I like to do most. I really enjoy golfing. Chatham-Kent
has a great selection of golf courses that I enjoy playing and find very relaxing. I also enjoy both hunting
and fishing with my brother on Lake St. Clair as well as some ice fishing in the winter. One of my favourite
pastimes is playing my guitar. I taught myself how to play with the help of some online tutorials when I
was playing hockey in Guelph, and it’s one of the best skills I could ever learn. Whether I’m writing songs
or playing for fun it is probably my number one way to relax.

What did you do after high school?

After finishing high school, I took classes at the university of Guelph while playing for the
Guelph Storm. Eventually I moved back home where I got my AZ license through The Ontario Truck
Driving school. I then continued my education through Transport Training Centres of Canada and got
certified as a Heavy Equipment Operator. This past November, I enrolled in the Police Foundations
program at Trios College in Windsor, Ontario.

What are you doing now?

I am currently enrolled in a Police Foundations Program through Trios College in Windsor, Ontario
Following my hockey career, I started off the season as an assistant coach with the Chatham-Kent
Cyclones minor midget team This was a great opportunity to give back to the hockey system that was
the foundation to my hockey career. A few months later I got hired by the Chatham Maroons as an
assistant coach which was a huge blessing and an honour. Upon being hired with the Maroons I still try
and help out with the minor midget team as much as I can. I am really enjoying coaching hockey.
Considering I was just in the league last year as a player, coaching has made me see the game in a
different way. I am really enjoying giving back to the players and sharing my knowledge with the young
defenceman that we have. It feels like just yesterday I was 16 years old playing for the Maroons, soaking
everything in and trying to take any advice I could get in order to get better. For me now sharing my
knowledge and experience with our young defencemen and seeing them grow as they enjoy the great
game of hockey is a huge blessing and incredibly rewarding. I focus on constant improvement while
keeping the game fun yet

What has made you happiest, or been the best surprise about moving back to Chatham-Kent?

I remember when I was in Guelph and we would get to come home at Christmas break and maybe a
couple other days and that was it. I always remember being so excited to come home and be back in
Chatham. There’s something about Chatham-Kent and specifically where I live that will always be home
for me. I remember driving home from Guelph late some nights at 2:00am and driving past the Pain
Court tower and just be relieved. Growing up, I would often hear kids my age or that I went to school
with saying how they didn’t like Chatham and wanted to get away. For me, I am truly blessed to live in a
place like Chatham. Especially being a country boy, when you look at all the agriculture, lakes, and
resources that Chatham has to offer, it is a great place to grow up and raise a family!

What would you tell someone who is considering living in Chatham-Kent?

I would tell them that it is a great place to live. Chatham-Kent has a great deal of agriculture and
beautiful countryside! We are very blessed to live so close to different lakes and waterways that are all
less than an hours drive away! Chatham-Kent is a great place for young and old alike and a great place
to raise a family. There are so many sport and leisure opportunities and activities to choose from,
whether you like city activities or country activities they are both just a few minutes away.

Why did you choose to move back to Chatham-Kent?

Following my playing career in Guelph, I played for the Brantford 99ers of the GOJHL for a few months
due to the fact that at the time I was still going to school in Guelph. Around Christmas time of that year I
requested a trade to the Leamington Flyers of the GOJHL to be closer to home. I am very thankful for
the time I had being away in the sense that it really helped me mature as a man and in life. When you’re
just 16 years old and have to move, you are suddenly living with a new family and having to do a lot of
things on your own. At the time I got traded to Leamington, I was ready to come home. I wanted to be
close to family. I also started dating my girlfriend of two and half years who is a Chatham girl when I was
in Brantford, so that was definitely another good reason to come back home.

Describe your current sports involvement?

I am currently an assistant coach with the Chatham Maroons of the GOJHL and I also help out the
Chatham-Kent Cyclones minor midget team when I can. I am really enjoying my time as a coach. I had
several opportunities to further my playing career but I was ready to move on. I have been so blessed
during my playing career to have the opportunities that I have had. Some people dream of having the
opportunity just to play any level of junior. Hanging up the skates for me was not a hard thing to do but
rather satisfying and timely knowing that hockey has taught me so much about team work, commitment
resilience, sacrifice and hard work I also met some great people I don’t think that I will ever not be
involved in hockey in some way. It is after all the greatest sport in the world