Kallechy trades uniform to be assistant coach for Havoc

MADISON – Jesse Kallechy started coaching for the Huntsville Havoc in October 2015.

During his professional career, Kallechy played in Knoxville, Tenn., Pensacola, Fla. and Lafayette, La. He finished his career in Huntsville as a goaltender.

Kallechy started playing hockey at five years old in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada. He played minor hockey in Sherwood Park and high-level hockey while growing up. “At 19, I ended up signing with a junior hockey team in Fort McMurray, Alberta for two seasons,” he said. He had options to play college hockey but choose play professionally.

“I ended up making Knoxville Ice Bears when I was 21,” Kallechy said.

Midway his rookie season, Kallechy was traded to Pensacola Ice Flyers, who lost in the SPHL championship. The next season, he signed with Louisiana Ice Gators in Lafayette, La. He was released in January.

“Following my release, I was lucky enough to be picked up by the Havoc. I enjoyed a lot of personal success to go along with our team success,” he said. “We went on to lose in the final game of the SPHL championship.”

After two seasons with the Havoc, Kallechy ended his playing career. “Those were the most enjoyable years of my hockey career. Coach Glenn offered me the job of assistant coach following the 2015 season,” Kallechy said.

“It was an easy decision to stop playing and join his staff. I have been the assistant coach from the 2015 season to present,” Kallechy said.

Actually coaching the players is a small part of Kallechy’s job but the most enjoyable.

“Coach Glenn Detulleo and I share work, including booking hotels and meals, organizing/managing player apartments, booking the bus for road trips, cutting video from each game, pre-scouting our opponents and trying to manage 20 different Type-A personalities,” he said.

Kallechy’s favorite sports memory is playing in back-to-back SPHL championships. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to win either season, but exhilaration of playing in games for a championship after you work for six long, grueling months is almost impossible to describe,” he said.

“I was lucky to play in two championships knowing that guys can play upwards of 10 years professionally and never even get a shot at a championship,” he said.

He enjoys fishing, travelling and spending time with his wife Amy and their three-year-old German shepherd, Leo.