From Mennen Cups to milestone win, Park hockey coach Tom Levis hasn't gone far

Back in the 1980s at Whippany Park High School, Tom Levis was "a knucklehead," "a little punk" and "a hero, man." And it was all because of ice hockey.

The sport has captivated Levis since he first stepped on the ice with the Hanover squirts in 1976. Hockey has been a stabilizing and motivating force, forcing Levis to focus in the classroom so he could keep playing.

Levis earned his 300th coaching victory with Park Regional, 6-4 against A.L. Johnson at Warinanco Sports Center late Wednesday night. He has been back since 1992-93, starting as a volunteer assistant and moving up to the top job three years later. It is his 28th year at his alma mater.

"I never looked that far ahead. It was more to the next game," Levis said. "How are we going to figure out how to beat Madison? How are we going to play Roxbury? I'm preaching to my team, 'Take it one shift at a time.' If Whippany Park is going to let me do this, I'm going to do it as long as they're going to sign my contract. What better thing to coach for a school you went to, and win championships as a coach at a school you won championships for? It's a very powerful way to look at things."

'Turning point that saved me'

Levis grew up in Hanover Township "around winning my whole life," a few miles between Mennen Arena and the short-lived Ice Palace in Florham Park, which was run by Montreal Canadiens' Stanley Cup center Jack LeClair. Levis started with Hanover Hockey in fourth grade, quickly moving up to the Essex County Chiefs and Montclair All-Stars.

When Levis was a freshman, Morristown Beard won the Mennen Cup in overtime. Most of his teammates graduated, leaving Levis on the top line. He led the Morris County league with 63 points as a sophomore.

He transferred home to Whippany Park, but was academically ineligible to play hockey until Jan. 15, 1985. The Wildcats lost to Morristown Beard, 4-1, in Levis' first game at his hometown school − and he had an assist on the lone goal.

Levis had 39 points in 10 games, helping Whippany Park win the Mennen Cup. He and Keith Knightly (Chatham Township 1979 and Morristown Beard 1980) are the players to win the Mennen Cup with two different high schools.

"I'm pretty much a hero amongst the burnouts, the preppies and the jocks," Levis recalled. "I'm walking into Whippany Park high school and people are serenading me. It was phenomenal. Without ice hockey, I was down the tubes. ... (Winning Mennen Cup) was a turning point that saved me."

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Levis finished his high school education at Parsippany Adult School in the spring of 1986, and went on to County College of Morris − which had a nationally ranked hockey team. In a playoff game against Pace University on March 13, 1988, Levis got crosschecked so hard the stick snapped across his voicebox.

Levis could only watch as the Titans lost the final to Rutgers.

Levis struggled to get medical clearance to get back on the ice for his sophomore season at CCM, finally agreeing to wear a second neck guard. He was a second-team junior college All-American.

Levis moved on to New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, and got cut from the team. Levis rededicated himself to his studies, and graduated on the Dean's list in May 1992.

Long road to home ice

He came home and began helping John Puskar with the newly formed Hanover Regional co-op team, blending Hanover Park and Whippany Park. He led Park hockey to six Haas Cups in 14 years, "and we've never been the favorite."

Added Levis, "I've been blessed with energy and enthusiasm and a love for the game, for what it did to my life. I'm getting on the goal line with my players at 5:30 in the morning. I think I built the respect. 'How do you not like this guy? He's nuts.'"

Levis did all this while working at a full-time job in media advertising sales, and raising two daughters with his wife, Karen, another Whippany Park graduate. Julia Levis earned 12 varsity letters at Whippany Park, and is a junior at The College of New Jersey. Samantha Levis, a former Wildcats field hockey player, is a Delaware freshman.

Tom Levis can still be found rollerblading around Cedar Knolls during the offseason. Morristown Beard hockey coach Scott Greene, a former Park Regional captain who graduated from Whippany Park in 2006, recalled doing sprints and pushups with his coach − who is more than 20 years older.

Greene used to work in advertising sales in New York City like Levis does, before taking a full-time position at Morristown Beard.

"He focuses on hard work and grit and passion," said Greene, who guided the Crimson to the Mennen Cup last winter.

"We would skate a lot. The practices were not fun, but I loved that. I love working hard and being able to show I'm working hard. To have a coach see you doing that and reward you with playing time, a leadership role, that means a lot. ... Tom really did inspire me, the passion he brings. He really cares so much about all his players. That's what drove me."

Jane Havsy is a storyteller for the Daily Record and DailyRecord.com, part of the USA TODAY Network. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis, subscribe today.

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This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: NJ hockey: Park coach Tom Levis earns 300th win