Chad Labelle

Tucker Hockey

Head Instructor Profile

Published March 28, 2023

Tell us a little about yourself.

  • I come from a hockey family with two brothers who all played high-level hockey growing up.  Our dad was also a hockey player in his days and a big supporter of our careers as he coached us for most of our childhood.  Hockey was the most important thing for the majority of my life until I retired in 2020.  It allowed me to travel around North America, meet tons of great people, and it has carved me into the man I am today.  Along the journey, I was able to go play in the Western Hockey League with the Medicine Hat Tigers for close to four years which then lead me to pursue my education at the University of Prince Edward Island while I got to play on the Men’s Varsity Hockey team for the remaining five years of my hockey career.

Chad playing for the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers

Tell us a little about your interest in the sport of hockey.

  • Hockey has been a huge part of my life and the thing that I love the most about it is the ability to compete with your teammates while working towards a common goal, together.   It pushes your physical and mental capabilities when you really commit to it which can be transferable to almost every aspect of your life outside of hockey.  It teaches you hard work, teamwork, perseverance, self-care, discipline, and leadership, which are all areas in life that are important if you want to succeed in whatever you decide to do.

What’s the best part about hockey for you?

  • The best part about hockey to me is going to the rink and forgetting everything that is going on in the outside world.  You get to put everything aside and go do the thing you love and know with people that are just as passionate about the sport as you are.  I absolutely love the competitiveness and speed of the sport.  Also, you meet some pretty cool people throughout your career that remain your best friend forever which has definitely been a big bonus!

How has hockey influenced your life?

  • Hockey has influenced my life by proving that you can do anything you set your mind to if you stay committed and continue to always learn and be the best version of yourself.  Sometimes things might not go as planned in life, just as it could happen in a hockey game, but by staying the course, adapting to your atmosphere, and always pushing yourself to be better, you can eventually get to the spot in life and in hockey that you saw yourself achieving.  Another coach with Tucker Hockey, Bobby Zinkan, and myself have been working on building a company now for the last two years and I know we have both learned a lot in our hockey careers that we can now transfer over into our business careers.  Little things like being on time, showing up, putting the work in, staying committed, leadership, teamwork… the list goes on, and without hockey, I wouldn’t have the mindset or discipline I have today.

When and how did you initially get involved with Tucker Hockey?

  • I got involved with Tucker Hockey in 2022.  I got involved with Tucker Hockey by reaching out to an ad on Indeed when I was looking for some part-time work.   It really caught my interest because I was missing the game of hockey after my retirement and I thought it was time that I passed along all the important skills, lessons, and ideas I have gained over my 20+ years of playing the game.  Been loving it ever since!

What is the most enjoyable part of coaching/teaching players?

  • The most enjoyable part of coaching/teaching players is being able to be there for them and be someone who they can look up to.  I think back to when I was their age and how motivating and inspirational coaches can be at that age and I want to provide that for all the players I coach because I know the importance of it firsthand.  If I can teach them one thing a day, make them smile once, and continue to make them love the game of hockey, then I have done my job and I am happy.

What is your favourite age group and skill level?

  • My favourite age group and skill level to coach is two different groups but for different reasons.  I love the younger age group in the 8-12-year-old range because they are so new to the game and are just fun to be around.  It brings me joy to work with younger kids by their curiosity to learn and their impulsive but entertaining behaviour.  I also think it’s important to have coaches who understand that the kids are young and that this sport is supposed to be fun and I think I can provide that for kids this age.  I also really enjoy coaching the higher-level skilled players that are a bit older in the 15 – 17year-old age group.  This group allows me to get more technical and teach them valuable lessons and skills that are still fresh in my mind.  I feel like I can benefit this age group because I played high-level at that age and it is a really pivotal time of their hockey careers and lives where I believe I can teach them a lot on and off the ice through my experiences.

Any favourite skating drills that come to mind?

  • My favourite skating drills that come to mind are anything that involves evasive skating.  Whether that’s tight turns, change of speed, or deceptiveness, I believe that these skills are becoming more and more important in the game of hockey due to the speed at which the game is played today. 

Being a Tucker Hockey Instructor – what has the “Tucker Hockey Way” / being a part of the on ice instructional team taught you?

  • Being a Tucker Hockey Instructor has taught me a lot ever since I became an instructor.  I have learned a lot throughout my hockey career and Tucker Hockey has allowed me to adapt to the Tucker Hockey Way pretty easily because it is all things that I believe in as well.  It has taught me to never forget how much you love the game of hockey and that it is supposed to be fun – which is what I try to emphasize when I am teaching players.  There are sometimes more skilled players in some of the groups but I try and make sure I am connecting with all of the players on the ice and am explaining the drills and techniques to them in a way that each player would understand.  It has also taught me that on-ice learning is important, but there are a lot of other aspects off the ice that can make you a great team player and a person to have on a hockey team so I always try to emphasize that when I am coaching.

What advice would you like to offer hockey coaches, parents, and players about the importance of skating, and why they should invest the time and money towards quality skating instruction?

  • Advice on the importance of skating is that it is hands down, the most important skill you need to learn as a hockey player if you want to get to that next level.  If you can’t skate and keep up with others, then you will simply be left behind.  It’s a very tough and competitive sport and there are a lot of players doing exactly what you are doing every single day but if you can elevate your skating skills, it will get you a long way.  Personally, my dad always enrolled me in different power-skating programs and as a kid, sure it wasn’t all that fun at the time, but looking back at it now, if I didn’t do that as a young hockey player, I wouldn’t have gone and played in the WHL or Varsity Hockey.  I highly recommend any coach, parent, or player; invest their time and money into becoming a better skater.

What other things interest you, outside hockey?

  • Outside of hockey, my family and friends are very important to me.  I love being with them and doing activities like golfing, traveling, rollerblading, playing frisbee, camping, boating, and all that fun stuff.  Another thing that interests me is Entrepreneurship.  I graduated from university in 2020 and began working on starting a beverage company with another fellow Tucker Hockey Coach, Bobby Zinkan and it has allowed me to find a new passion after retiring from hockey.  @drinktoatea.  I love how I get to learn every single day and pursue a newfound passion with a lifelong friend.

What are your future goals or aspirations?

  • Future goals and aspirations are number one; surround myself with the people I love and to always making sure my body is healthy, my mind is healthy, and I am enjoying what I am doing in life.  I want to build this company that Bobby Zinkan and have made into a brand that is well-recognizable throughout all of North America and create a lifestyle that can set our families and ourselves up forever while continuing to do what we love.

Editor’s Note:

Thank you Chad for completing a Tucker Hockey On Ice Profile. Chad joined the Tucker Hockey Team during the Spring of 2022. He has been a valuable member of the team mainly helping with our 3 on 3 programs, Conditioning / Prep for Evaluations Programs, Evasive Skating / Creative Puck Control & Battles / Compete Programs and P.D. Day Programs. Chad is a very pleasant, reliable and respectful young man who has a very bright future in the business and hockey worlds in the years ahead. Good luck Chad with your future endeavours!

See you at the rink again this Spring!

~Coach Rex