Q&A with Hugo Laporte

BOUCHERVILLE, Thursday, September 30th, 2010 – Hugo Laporte, originally from Sainte-Julie, on the south shore of Montreal, is a veteran that mature with the Gatineau Olympiques for 4 years now in the QMJHL. After winning the President Cup at the age of 17 with his team in the 2007-2008 season, he is now an important leader for the Olympiques. Here’s a discussion with a lovely 20 years old young man full of ambition and hope in the future.

Can you describe how the League helps you grow as a player and as a person?

“For me, hockey was always a life school. We learn team work, mutual support, as well as trust in others, which is, for me, very important values in any communities. There are also rules to follow, written and applied by all the referees as well as in every day life, but there are also tacit rules, a certain ethic code between all the players. Hockey learns us to live with others and prepare us to live in communities and be a better person. The QMJHL, for me, is the continuity of a learning started since I put for the first time skates at 5 years old. The strong game play forces me to go beyond my limits and grow as a player, but also as a person. This league inculcates strong values such as determination, work ethic, team spirit, some values that wil be always present after my junior years.”

You are currently living in a billet family in Gatineau. How is it to be far from home and live with a family you didn’t know at first?

“As for me, I left home when I was 16 years old. I played Midget AAA at Rivière-du-Loup, so I was already in a billet family. The adaptation was easier that way when I came to Gatineau. As of now, I consider myself very lucky concerning billet families I lived with and it definitely helped the experience. It is my fourth year with my billet family here in Gatineau, and I feel just like home. They are kind of my second family.”

How do you keep a healthy balance between friends, hockey, family and school in everyday life?

“Honestly, I don’t have any trick to keep a good balance. My family supports me and follows me a lot, so I don’t have any problem on that side. My friends mostly have played hockey with me at least once, so they all understand. I came here first to play hockey, people close to me understand that fact. For school, as far as I can remember, I’ve always been aware that it is hard to become a professional hockey player, so I am much cautioned about my studies. The balance isn’t that hard to maintain, because I have all my priorities at the good place and people around me always support me.”

This year, you are considered as a veteran. What are the responsabilities related to that role?

“The veteran role is, for me, to show the good road to the youngest players in the team. The veteran must give the example on the ice, as well as outside the rink and keep an eye on the mutual respect between all the team players. They are responsible of the youngest players, and it goes as far as the success or the failure of the team.”

What will you do differently from last year?

“I don’t think I’m going to change anything specific from last year, except maybe take my veteran role even more seriously than I did last year. I will also continue to work hard and help my team as much as I can.”

You haven’t been drafted yet in the NHL. Do you still believe to reach this objective one day?

“I absolutely keep this objective in mind, but I also concentrate on the present season that will be deciding for me. I hope I could get a camp invitation next year, but if the occasion doesn’t show up, I have others options. I have the possibility to go play at McGill University or even go play in Europe. The opportunities are present, but I need to keep giving the best of myself and wish for the best.”

To conclude is there something you want people to know about yourself?

“I have a very artistic side; I’m pretty talented in drawing. I’m also a very lunatic person; I forget a lot quickly!”