Manhattan Beach’s Maxwell adds to jobs, adds to family By Matt Mackinder
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f you ask Tyler Maxwell what his plans are for each day of the week, odds are each day is focused on a different component of his hockey employment. Yes, the 26-year-old Manhattan Beach native is a hockey junkie. He’ll be the first to admit that. On the home front, Maxwell and his wife, Chanel, and son, Ryder, recently welcomed a baby girl, Ivy, to the family on Sept. 27. In his work life, Maxwell runs the Maxwell Hockey Camps, coaches with the OC Hockey Club, scouts for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League and enters his first season as head coach at USC – the first Los Angeles-area native to serve in that role. “I take naps – sleep is absolutely sporadic,” laughed Maxwell. “However, I must say having a supportive wife is beneficial for your heart, no doubt. Additionally, by setting manageable goals each day, and being able to meet priorities, we are able to balance our day-to-day operations. Communicating effectively with my spouse, co-workers, instructors, assistant coaches, etcetera, makes our daily life much more polished. Over and above all, you need to know when it is time to give yourself a break.” Going back a few years, Maxwell literally grew up with hockey. His father’s side of the family is from the Canadian province of Ontario and his mother’s side is from St. Louis – two prevalent hockey hotbeds. “They instilled this love for the game in me at the early age of three and my passion for the game has grown stronger ever since,” Maxwell said. “I have always wanted to perform at the highest level with
whatever task I have taken on in life. Ice hockey is a challenging sport and the will to succeed at an elite stage is what drives me..” Drafted by United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tyler Maxwell
and Western Hockey League (WHL) teams, Maxwell realized in his teen years that his skill set could potentially take him to college and/or pro hockey. He signed with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips in 2008 after a handful of games with the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers the year prior. During his last junior sea-
son in 2011-12, Maxwell was dealt to the Edmonton Oil Kings and was part of a WHL championship team. “When I was drafted to the WHL and USHL, I knew it was time to put up or shut up,” Maxwell said. “I quickly halted my other extracurricular activities and sports and focused solely on my game. Of course, schoolwork was a top priority, especially ‘no honor roll, no sports.’ My parents insisted, and I agreed.” After the WHL, Maxwell skated four seasons in the ECHL for six teams and also saw stints in Austria and Italy. “I genuinely enjoyed my time playing professionally,” said Maxwell. “Was it a grind? Of course, but the juice was definitely worth the squeeze. I was able to travel the world, playing the sport I was in love with. I created numerous lifelong bonds with character teammates and amazing, ultra-supportive fanatics. I was able to gain NHL experience. Those memories are something you will never fail to recollect. Plus, I met my wife during the journey, and I am forever grateful for that.” These days, Maxwell has goals he still aspires to achieve in hockey and away from the rink. “My main goal is to develop the sport of ice hockey, specifically in the region of Southern California, and especially along the West Coast,” Maxwell said. “Honestly, the sport teaches deep-rooted qualities that are engrained for life. Away from the rink, I am a family man through and through. Building a legacy, and providing opportunities for my family and my players are a few of the aspirations I pride myself upon.”
Ex-California player LeMarque tells story on big screen By Matt Mackinder
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ockey is a sport played in the winter months, so needless to say, it’s cold. Eric LeMarque experienced something far colder back in 2004 when he was lost in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, but survived for a week by living in a makeshift igloo and eating pine nuts and pine needles. He lost both feet in the ordeal due to extreme frostbite. His story is now being told in a motion picture, “6 Below,” which stars Josh Hartnett as LeMarque, and hit theaters Oct. 12. Tickets can be purchased at www.6BelowTheMovie.com. The story is also in book form, also titled “6 Below,” and is available on Amazon for those who want the whole story and enjoy reading. “I got the book into the hands of some producers who focus on real-life stories that people can relate their own lives to,” said LeMarque. “The movie is almost 100 percent accurate – the messaging beats are the same and how it happened are very similar, just told a bit different at times.” Portions of the film were filmed in 2016 with the California Heat youth hockey organization. LeMarque’s son currently plays for the Heat’s Squirt A team. “The California Heat Hockey Club is first class,” LeMarque said. “They offer more for players through their coaching staff, ice time and a special family touch to California hockey.” Born in France, LeMarque lives in Los Angeles and has taught as a local hockey coach. He played hockey in the 1994 Winter Olympics for France, scoring one goal in three games. He played five seasons with the
French National Team and also represented France in uated high school at 17 and then played four years the 1994 and 1995 International Ice Hockey Feder- at NCAA Division I Northern Michigan University from ation World Championships and played a handful of 1986-90, scoring 50 goals and adding 83 assists in NHL preseason games with the 160 games. Boston Bruins. LeMarque said his message “My first preseason game in both the film and book is one was against the Montreal Canathat is based on his life-threatdians at the Montreal Forum,” ening experiences on that frigid remembered LeMarque. “It was mountain side. surreal getting two goals and an “No matter what you are assist with one fight – a good faced with, you can overcome start for my professional career. I anything with the right attitude, received great advice from (Bosdetermination and faith as you ton defenseman) Ray Bourque, speak to your situation lifting you who said ‘respect everyone and out of a valley onto the top of a fear no one.’ He taught me to bemountain,” said LeMarque. lieve you are just as good, if not And by staying involved and better than anyone you are playattentive as a hockey parent, Leing against and not to be caught Marque said he sees the growth up on anything other than what of hockey in California as posiit takes within your professional tive, but it begins behind the and athletic lifestyle. Putting in bench of each association. the work on and off the ice will “We need to put the best give you the best chance for succoaches with the most expecess. I was also taught that talent rience into the head coaching is not enough for success. You Earlier this month, “6 Below” hit theaters and roles,” said LeMarque. “To comtells the tale of California native and former need to always add hard work hockey player Eric LeMarque being lost in the pete with the best in North Amerto the talent to have consistent Sierra Nevada wilderness. ica, we need coaches who have success.” lived the game, are experienced Growing up, LeMarque played for Topanga Can- coaches, are experienced healthy adults who underyon Ice Hockey Club, Culver City, Marina Cities, New- stand relationships and people and what motivates bury Park, Burbank and then at 15, he left California young adult athletes so that they not only became and played Midget AAA for Detroit Compuware, win- great athletes, but moreover, become successful peoning back-to-back national championships. He grad- ple.” CARubberHockey.com
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