Community Moment | Pellerin has developed lifelong ties with Victoriaville
Maxime Pellerin has been a fan of Victoriaville Tigres sinde day one. The 20-year-old grew up following the performances of former stars such as Philippe Danault and Yanni Gourde.
Now that he proudly wears the crest of his local team, the Victoriaville native also wants to be a leader in his community. He remembers very well being around Tigres players in his childhood, and the impact those encounters had on him.
Now it’s his turn to carry the torch. In his first campaign with the Tigres, he was part of a group that visited children at the Victoriaville Hospital. He was also a spokesperson for last year’s Social Media and Cell Phone Use Prevention Week.
This season, the forward visited young students from a few schools in the area and volunteered as a referee for a three-on-three hockey tournament.
“I’m also available during the summer,” says the Tigres’ captain with a smile. “I usually take part in many events across the region and it’s always a pleasure to get involved. Especially when it’s for the kids!”
Maxime Pellerin has also become a well-known figure in his hometown thanks to his frequent stops during minor hockey practices.
“I try to stay close to the local kids,” he admits. “I’m aware that we are role models for them. So I like to go out on the ice and have fun with them, and a lot of times the coaches let us do drills with them as well.”
The U9 to U13 level kids are obviously a little shy at first when they see the captain show up in his Tigres jersey.
“That shyness goes away as soon as we jump on the ice. We really have fun,” says Pellerin. “I think it’s really important to give back to my community. I remember when I was young and I saw Tigres players, I used to go crazy! I was a kid once and I’ve been in their shoes before.”
“I don’t just do it for them,” adds the number 23. “It also makes me feel good to see young people smile while playing hockey!
Pellerin also says he enjoyed his experience as a referee at a local U11 tournament. He was able to share the unique experience with his teammate, Alexandre Nadeau.
“I found it quite unique. It’s not an easy job and I understand better the reality of the referees in our league now. No matter what the decision is, in the eyes of the people, it’s never the right one!”, he laughs.
“But the kids were happy to see Tigres players on the ice with them. The coaches were a little hesitant to complain about some of our decisions, but they were very understanding. We explained to them at the beginning that we weren’t used to doing this and didn’t know all the rules by heart.”
This willingness to get involved in the community is a reflection of the family values shared in the Pellerin family.
“My parents instilled in me that it’s important to take care of others. These family values and caring for one another come from the way I was raised, along with my sister and two brothers,” admits Maxime.
“Giving time to people in my community, and doing it with a smile, is the least I can do!”
