Even after turning pro in the sport, Wayne always listened to his father. The Great One even recalled how his father taught him to be disciplined as per his beliefs. Although there were certain times when Wayne was also infuriated by his father because of his carelessness.
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In an interview from 2017, Wayne Gretzky revealed how his actions made his father angry. Well, his anger was justified, as hockey can sometimes be a risky sport to play.
The Great One refused to take precaution
When Wayne Gretzky entered the pro scene for the first time, he noticed a lot of changes. The pro behavior was that no helmets were required, which also caught Wayne in his clutches.
“So I remember practicing one day when I was 17 years old and just turned pro. I think we were playing an inter-squad game, and my dad had driven down to watch the game. He came down to the bench yelling at me to get my helmet back on, so I put it back on. But that’s the way it was back then,” Wayne said. It was justified by his father, Walter Gretzky to get mad over Wayne. As a father, he cared about his safety, and hockey has its risks while playing. He was concerned about his son, so he got angry and told him to put his helmet back on.
During that time, even Wayne was unaware of the risks involved in the sport. Basic knowledge of head injuries wasn’t enough for them to realize that the helmet was important. Wayne even mentioned that awareness was later raised among the players as the NHL and Players’ Association got concerned. As the growth of the sport happened, the rules got more strict, not only in the professional scene but also at the amateur level, according to Wayne.
Supportive parents of Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky has always admired his parents. According to him, if they weren’t supportive enough, he would have been nothing. All his NHL records are because of his parents’ support and love. Their support helped him to capitalize on his natural talent. Once, Wayne Gretzky also revealed that his father was responsible for teaching him right from wrong and that his mother was the foundation of their family.
Once, when Wayne lost a game, his father cheered him up. That thing hit the mind of the Great One, and the rest is history. Wayne Gretzky, with all of the love and support, won four Stanley Cups and set 61 NHL records that have yet to be broken. His dominance earned him the title “The Great One.”
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