Walter Gretzky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Gretzky
CM OOnt
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Walter Gretzky in 2010
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| Born | October 8, 1938 Canning, Ontario, Canada
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| Died | March 4, 2021 (aged 82) Brantford, Ontario, Canada
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| Resting place | Farringdon Burial Ground, Brantford |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Other names | "Canada's hockey dad" |
| Occupation | Cable repairman |
| Spouse(s) |
Phyllis Hockin
(m. 1960; |
| Children | 5, including Wayne, Keith and Brent |
Walter Gretzky (October 8, 1938 – March 4, 2021) was a Canadian who helped many people and charities. He was most famous as the father of ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.
Walter loved hockey when he was young. He was also very good at understanding the game. He built an ice rink in his backyard for his children. He coached Wayne from the age of three. He created special exercises and taught Wayne important ways to play successfully.
Wayne often said his dad was key to his success. Walter taught him to "skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been." Walter also helped youth hockey in Canada. He supported many local and national charities. For his good work, he received special honors.
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Walter's Early Life
Walter Gretzky's family came from a region that is now Belarus. His father, Anton ("Tony") Gretzky, moved to Canada with his family. After World War I, Tony married Mary. She had moved from a town in what is now western Ukraine.
Walter's family background is often described as Belarusian, Ukrainian, or Polish. Walter said his parents were from Belarus. He also mentioned his family had Polish roots. In his book, Walter said his first language was Ukrainian.
Tony and Mary Gretzky owned a 25-acre cucumber farm. It was in Canning, Ontario, where Walter was born and grew up. Walter met his future wife, Phyllis Hockin, there. She was 15 and he was 18.
They got married in 1960. They moved to Brantford, Ontario. Walter worked as a cable repairman for Bell Canada. Seven months after their son Wayne was born, they moved into a new house. They chose it because the yard was flat. This made it easy to build an ice rink every winter. Walter and Phyllis later had a daughter, Kim, and three more sons: Keith, Glen, and Brent.
Walter's Sports Background
Walter was a talented athlete in high school. He set school records in running, pole vault, and long jump. But hockey was his favorite sport. As a teenager, he scored many goals for the Woodstock Warriors. He dreamed of playing in the National Hockey League (NHL). Some people thought he would make it.
He tried out for a major Junior A team. But he had just recovered from chicken pox. He had lost a lot of weight. Even though he scored well, he was told he was too small. He was 5-foot-9 inches tall and weighed 140 pounds. So, he went back to play for the Woodstock team.
Walter's Career and Health
Walter worked for Bell Canada for 34 years. He was an installer and repairman. He retired in 1991. In 1961, he had a work injury. It put him in a coma and made him deaf in his right ear.
In 1991, Walter had a serious brain aneurysm. This happened five days after his 53rd birthday. It affected his short-term memory. His story was later made into a CBC movie. It was called Waking Up Wally: The Walter Gretzky Story.
Walter also helped many charities and fundraisers. He coached at his summer youth hockey camp in California.
Walter's Coaching Style
Walter Gretzky created many new ways to teach hockey skills. These methods were often ahead of their time in Canada. Wayne Gretzky later said that the drills used by the Soviet National Team in 1972 were not new to him. "I'd been doing those drills since I was three. My Dad was very smart," Wayne said.
Wayne explained how his dad taught him to think ahead in hockey:
Some say I have a "sixth sense"... I've just learned to guess what's going to happen next. It's anticipation. My dad taught me. He would shoot a puck into the corner and chase it. Then he'd say, "Now, this is how the smart player does it." He'd shoot it again, but this time he'd skate to the other side to pick it up. He taught me to anticipate.
In his book, Wayne shared how his dad taught him smart hockey with questions:
Him: "Where do you skate?"
Me: "To where the puck is going, not where it's been."
Him: "Where's the last place a guy looks before he passes it?"
Me: "The guy he's passing to."
Him: "Which means..."
Me: "Get over there and intercept it."
Him: "If you get cut off, what are you gonna do?"
Me: "Peel."
Him: "Which way?"
Me: "Away from the guy, not towards him."
From 2004 to 2005, Walter was an assistant coach. He helped the University of Pittsburgh inline hockey team.
Walter's Charity Work
Walter Gretzky was very involved in charity work.
Helping the CNIB
Walter worked for the CNIB Foundation. This group helps people who are blind or have low vision. The whole Gretzky family supports the CNIB.
Their support began when Wayne was 19. He met two blind boys who recognized him by his voice. Wayne felt a strong desire to help. He asked his father to start a golf tournament. The goal was to raise money for the CNIB.
These tournaments became very popular. Many NHL players and celebrities attended them. Famous hockey players like Brendan Shanahan and Gordie Howe came. Celebrities like John Candy also joined. All the money raised helped visually impaired Canadian university students. At first, Walter raised enough for three scholarships. Later, they gave out 15 scholarships each year. After eleven years, these tournaments raised over three million dollars.
SCORE Program
Walter Gretzky also started the SCORE program. SCORE stands for Summer Computer Orientation Recreational Education. This program helps blind students learn computer skills. These skills are important for future jobs. SCORE has helped over 500 visually impaired students find career positions.
Walter's Books
Walter Gretzky wrote two books. One was called On Family, Hockey and Healing (2001). The other was Gretzky: From Backyard Rink to the Stanley Cup (1985). In these books, he shared how he saw Wayne's amazing talent. He also wrote about how he helped Wayne become a top hockey scorer.
Walter's Personal Life and Passing
Walter received the "Brantford Citizen of the Year award" in 1996. He was also added to the Brantford Walk of Fame.
He was honored as a Member of the Order of Ontario in 2002. On December 28, 2007, he became a Member of the Order of Canada. This was for his help with youth hockey and his charity work. On February 12, 2010, Walter carried the Olympic Torch. This was just before the opening ceremonies in Vancouver. His son Wayne later lit the Olympic Flame.
Walter also received special degrees from three universities:
- Doctor of Laws from McMaster University in 2002.
- Doctor of Education from Nipissing University in 2006.
- Doctor of Letters from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2014.
On April 12, 2012, a new school opened in Brantford, Ontario. It was named Walter Gretzky Elementary School.
Walter's wife, Phyllis, passed away from lung cancer in 2005. Walter was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012. He passed away on March 4, 2021, at age 82. This was after a hip injury. His funeral was held in Brantford. He was buried at Farringdon Burial Ground.
Images for kids
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Walter Gretzky in 2010
