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\u201cHe went out there and kind of wavered for about 30 seconds, and then he was like, \u2018Oh, I\u2019ve got it,\u2019\u201d she said, \u201cand then he just took off. He was lapping us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Levi started in-house leagues at age 7, moved to a single-A travel team at 9, and then progressed through AA. This past season, he completed his first year at the AAA level, which is the highest division in youth hockey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn AA, it\u2019s still a really fast game, but going from AA to AAA is the next level,\u201d Levi said. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge step up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His coach this season, Ike Zier, worked with the team on developing what hockey players call \u201chockey IQ,\u201d the ability to read the ice and anticipate plays before they develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy hockey IQ, working with him \u2014 it\u2019s just skyrocketing,\u201d Levi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Levi said one of the fun facts about his coaching team is that Zier\u2019s assistant coach has a brother who plays for the Buffalo Sabres. Levi is proud to be a good teammate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t like negativity a lot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When communication between the young players turns negative, the staff addresses it directly. His mother said Levi\u2019s reputation for teamwork has followed him throughout his hockey career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe one thing I love so much about Levi is that he is a good teammate,\u201d Amanda said. \u201cHe is always lifting other kids up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Levi\u2019s primary objective for the upcoming season is to work on speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s one of the weaker parts of my game,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to get a lot faster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The team will also be chasing a nationals spot for the first time. To earn a place in that competition, they must win a best-of-three series against teams from the Southeast region, Washington, and Florida. Last year\u2019s team in this division, the players born in 2012 who have since aged up, finished third in the nation. Levi and his 2013 birth-year teammates want to build on that standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA goal I have would be to win at least three of the 14 tournaments,\u201d Levi said, \u201cbecause then you get to go to nationals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The family also has a trip to Denver on the schedule for a tournament, and they are hoping the Colorado Avalanche, Levi\u2019s favorite NHL team, will be in town when they arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Balancing a schedule that includes practices three times a week and late-night drives back from Nashville has required the whole family to adapt. Amanda recently transitioned to working primarily from home, and both Levi and his older sister, Jaycee, now attend school through Tennessee Virtual Academy to accommodate the travel required. That flexibility is essential for keeping pace with the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAfter he got adjusted, and I was able to start working from home a little bit and be with him more, he was like, \u2018I like this a lot,\u2019\u201d Amanda said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His dad, Jordan, works for Coca-Cola and uses accrued paid time off to travel with the team. Chores are shared, groceries are a family effort, and everyone chips in. Levi takes that same work ethic seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt takes a lot of commitment,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve fallen on the ice, and it\u2019s been hard to get up sometimes. But as long as you stay committed, stay good, and keep practicing, it will be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He maintains good grades despite the extra responsibilities. Levi wants to keep up his GPA because he dreams of attending the University of Michigan so he can play for the Michigan Wolverines. After college, he plans to try out for the NHL affiliate system, where minor league players can be called up when a roster spot opens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI love how the game is just so fast, and everything\u2019s on the fly. You have to adapt really quickly,\u201d Levi said. \u201cMy coach this year has taught me so much confidence with the puck.\u201d GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Levi Monroe is 12 years old and already has a successful hockey career. He is a rising eighth grader at Tennessee Virtual Academy who plays AAA-level ice hockey with the Junior Predators organization, a travel hockey program based in Nashville. In February 2026, he had the opportunity to represent his team at the Quebec International […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":25416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[6,73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","category-tullahoma"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/tullahoma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/08\/3-5-1024x683.jpg\")
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