Walter Gretzky inspires young city hockey players
Hockey's top dad in town for charity golf tournament


  
Sharie Epp
TimesColonist.com
Thursday, August 09, 2007

Walter Gretzky, Bob Beckett & Tom Grainger on CFAX talking about the "Walter Gretzky Golf Tournament" at Bear mountain
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CREDIT: John McKay, Times Colonist
Canada's most famous hockey dad, Walter Gretzky, chats with Phoenix Coyotes' draft pick and former BCHLer Kyle Turris yesterday at Bear Mountain Arena. Gretzky, in town for his CNIB golf tournament, was meeting with Turris and a handful of Grizzlies.

Get an education, be prepared, and don't forget to eat breakfast was Walter Gretzky's message for the young hockey players gathered around him yesterday at Bear Mountain Arena. Bouncing with good humour and an obvious zest for life, the slight 68-year-old is otherwise known as Wayne Gretzky's dad -- when they can't get the first 'W' they settle for me." He kept everybody smiling at a press conference promoting the second annual Walter Gretzky CNIB Golf Classic tomorrow at Bear Mountain Golf Resort.

One of seven golf events held across Canada, the fundraiser originated from a chance encounter hockey icon Wayne Gretzky had with a couple of visually impaired people at an airport 25 years ago. The fans couldn't see the star, but recognized his voice, and a long conversation kindled what was has become an annual sports event. It's evolved from tennis, baseball, and slowpitch to golf, and has raised more than $3 million for the cause, headlined by the senior Gretzky, who said through surviving a life-threatening work accident and a brain aneurysm he learned to enjoy every second of life.

Yesterday, Gretzky apologized for being late, after an accident at Colwood Corners held up traffic. He immediately commented on the beautiful, clean arena. His next comment was: "Where's the ice?"

From there, Gretzky proceeded to keep the little group fascinated with quips and stories, interspersed with a few bars of a song or two, involving his illustrious son.

Emphasizing Wayne's dedication to his sport, Walter gave one example from when his son was 7 or 8 years old. Lying on the couch watching Saturday night hockey, Wayne had a paper and pencil in hand, and was drawing lines following the path of the puck. In the end, the places where the lines crossed the most, were the areas where the puck was most likely to be found. The attention to detail extended to his equipment and his game, and he often phoned his dad between periods for pointers.

The elder Gretzky was the one who told Wayne to go behind the net to avoid getting hit -- a position that was to become a trademark that left opposition teams spinning in circles trying to prevent wraparound goals and tricky passes.

Another story involved Walter flying to Edmonton, after Wayne called to say he was going to break one of Gordie Howe's records. Sitting in first class, Gretzky pulled out a Sports Illustrated covered with a picture of his son. The woman sitting beside him, without knowing his identity, went on a long unpleasant tirade about Wayne's shortcomings, at least until the flight attendant called Walter by name. Neither passenger moved or spoke for the remaining 21/2 hours of the flight.

"Be respectful of strangers," Gretzky told the young men. "You never know who you're talking to."

Joking and posing for pictures, Walter was especially pleased to have a shot taken of himself and Kyle Turris, the 17-year-old Burnaby Express phenom who went third in the 2007 NHL draft, chosen by Wayne Gretzky, coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

"I know all about you, Kyle, and it's all good," Walter said, giving one of his favourite moves, an enthusiastic fist pump.

Turris, who was previously coached by new Grizzlies bench boss Rick Lanz, was in Victoria training for a few days amid a whirlwind of summer activities. He was in Columbus for the draft, at a prospects camp in Phoenix, off to camping in Osoyoos, then a visit to Wisconsin, and is playing in the Canada/Russia series in Russia later this month.

"It's been crazy," said Turris, who has met The Great One and his family, but is still blown away by "weird" things like being phoned at home one evening by a caller saying: "Hey Kyle, how're you doing? It's Wayne."

Walter asked for a copy of the picture to send to his son, and reminded Turris to eat breakfast every morning. He was happy to hear players such as Turris and Grizzlies Jordie and Jamie Benn were all planning to attend college.

"I keep saying 'go to school, go to school,' you can't go wrong," Gretzky said of how he talks to kids about the importance of having a backup plan for life, if hockey doesn't work out. "One fracture that doesn't heal, and that boy will never play hockey again."

The young players listened, and were impressed with what they heard and saw.

"He was such a beauty," Jordie Benn said. "His fist pumps were the best."

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2007