Chatham-Kent’s James McEwan, Making CK Proud

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 proudly representing our community. We hope many of these athletic ambassadors for our community someday come baCK to call Chatham-Kent home.

This week, we feature Chatham’s James McEwan. McEwan had a strong four year Ontario Hockey League career with the Guelph Storm, and is now playing USports hockey for the University of New Brunswick.

Last season, McEwan won an AUS and USports National Championship with UNB.

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

1. Can you describe what support you’ve felt from your hometown/Chatham-Kent while you’ve been away?

I think Chatham-Kent has been a very supportive community throughout the time that I’ve been away from home.

Obviously my family and my friends are at home so that alone makes the community really special to me. During my time in the OHL I was lucky enough to have a lot of my family and friends come watch me which is special and means a lot. Being a little farther away from home, friends and family and others don’t have that luxury to just hop on the 401 and come watch a game but the games are all live to watch on tv so that makes it nice for them to still stay connected with me. I think between fan mail and media coverage and past teachers and such contacting me pretty much shows me how close of a community Chatham-Kent is which is awesome.

2. What do you enjoy about coming home to visit?

What I really enjoy about coming home is just the fact that it feels like I’ve never been gone. There’s that small town feeling with Chatham-Kent that makes it special and really makes people come together and support each other. Obviously my family and friends are there and that speaks volumes to why Chatham-Kent will always have a special place inside me.

3. Would you consider making Chatham-Kent home again some day?

I can honestly say I have no clue if I’ll ever get to call Chatham home again permanently! At the end of my career at UNB I have aspirations to play professionally so I’m not sure where that will take me. With that being said whether I live in Chatham or not it’ll always be home to me because of the ties I have there.

4. What advice would you give to young athletes baCK home in Chatham-Kent?

I think the best advice I can give all of the young athletes out there is just to make sure you’re always having fun. As you move up the levels in sports it gets more and more serious and requires more dedication and commitment, but I’ve always found that as long as you’re always having fun then it makes all the hard work worth it!