André Maillé was born and raised in Lac Simon, Quebec, and is the third of five children.

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André's passion and aptitude for sport developed at a very young age. Throughout his school years he participated in hockey and athletics and played for school and local teams. As a young man he continued to participate in these sports at higher levels of competition and it was between 1973 and 1976 that glimpses of a future as a competitive athlete began to occur.

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As a member of the Papineau Minor Hockey League, his competitive spirit and desire to be the best he could be emerged. He achieved many accomplishments, including the Top Scorer and Most Valuable Player trophies. He was offered the chance to attend a hockey training camp with a Quebec Junior A team. Much to his father's dismay, André turned down the opportunity in order to pursue his new interest in athletics, a a sport he loved largely because it allowed him to focus on his individual athletic abilities and focus more on self-training.