HIGH ACHIEVERS: Goalkeeper Barclay Frost trades allegiances, wears American jersey for USA/Canada 80+ Hockey Challenge

By Martin Cleary

Barclay Frost could write a book, no, make that a whole set of encyclopedias, about his vast experiences in sports as an athlete, official, coach, convenor, etc.

As a young man, he was a talented track and field athlete in different disciplines. He has played pick-up or old-timers’ hockey for more than 60 years. As an athletics official and referee in the field events, he has been active for more than 55 years, overseeing the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics and two Pan-American Games.

As an educator, he was a jack-of-all-trades in organizing elementary school sports and regularly officiated at high school track and field meets. He has been instrumental in organizing the Ottawa Sports Awards Dinner, serving in many roles.

His dedication to and achievements in sports has been fully recognized as a member of the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame, the Goulbourn Sports Wall of Fame, the Athletics Canada Officials Committee Wall of Fame, the Athletics Ontario Hall of Fame, the Lisgar Collegiate Institute Hall of Fame and by the City of Ottawa with the Order of Ottawa.

Frost, 83, can tell you endless stories about his connection to sports figures and events. But the latest addition to his sports journey is likely the most unusual, unexpected, and unpatriotic, some might say.

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Named to the Canadian team for the USA/Canada Hockey Challenge for players 80 years old and over, he was looking forward to backstopping his side to victory over the Americans during a two-game playoff in Burlington last month.

Canada did win the title for the third time in six meetings, but Frost wasn’t part of the feel-good celebrations, after the sudden-death overtime period. Instead, Frost skated off the ice with the American team, wearing an American jersey and surrounded by his new American teammates.

Funny thing happened to Frost when he arrived at the arena for the start of the hockey challenge in Burlington – he learned from one of the organizers he had been traded, put on waivers or shifted to the American team.

The next thing he knew, Frost and his wife Janet were being ushered down a hall to meet his new American teammates. The head shaking continued, while the hand shaking took place with his new teammates. In time, Frost came to accept the situation as the starting American goaltender had serious health issues and couldn’t dress.

Like always, Frost took a professional approach to his new assignment. Playing for the Americans meant he had to deny all or as many Canadian goal opportunities as possible. He wouldn’t be showing any favouritism to the Canadian team.

“I went down with the full intention of playing for Canada,” Frost said in a recent phone interview. “The USA goalie showed up hurt. I don’t know how he was going to play hockey as he had a collapsed lung and a sore left arm.

“Peter Austin of the Burlington Old Timers asked me if I could play (for the Americans). ‘Do you mind,’ he asked? I knew the team needed a goalie. I said: ‘OK, I guess.’”

Goaltenders are hard to come by at the best of times in old-timers’ hockey, especially in the 80+ age division. Frost is considered the oldest hockey goalie in Ottawa. He plays twice a week for the Octokids and gets regular calls to play in younger leagues, but usually declines because of the speed of the game and harder shots.

Frost wore the No. 35 jersey for the hockey challenge, but the team will be mailing him another jersey with his much-preferred No. 29 on the back.

After the American coach put his players through an upbeat practice session the day before the start of the hockey challenge – a first for Frost in about 50 years – the Munster, ON, resident switched his mindset to being an American player.

“I told the USA manager I was keyed to play the best I could. I will do my best,” Frost added.

In the first game, the USA was a little disorganized with its line combinations as Canada won 4-3. But in the second game, the Americans reorganized and rebounded for a 7-3 triumph. That left the series tied 1-1 and necessitated a 10-minute overtime.

Canada clinched its third title to even the series at 3-3 as it counted the game-deciding, overtime goal.

“The overtime was back and forth. A USA player had a breakaway, but shot too high on the Canadian goalie and hit him in the chest. A USA defenceman coughed up the puck and the puck barely made it over the line. My defenceman apologized for that,” Frost added.

Looking at the hockey challenge overall, Frost couldn’t have had a better time, given the awkward introduction.

“This was a wonderful experience. There wasn’t one American player who blamed me for anything. They’d tap my pads or say ‘great game.’ They called me Barc or Big Barc.

“Someone on the team said now that I’ve played for the Americans, I can vote (in the recent election).”

Maybe it was a good thing Frost played for the Americans. During the team practice, he was impressed by their skating speed, passing and shots. It was a level of the game he doesn’t see on the Ottawa scene.

“There was no comparison,” Frost admitted. “This was like going to the NHL for me.”

The American roster included many former NCAA players from the early 1960s as well as Bill Orban, the team’s first former NHL player. The Regina-born Orban, 80, played with the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota North Stars in the days of Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Danny Grant from 1967-70, recording eight goals and 15 assists as a left-winger in 114 regular-season games.

Frost remembers one shot by Orban in the practice.

“He scored a goal on me from just inside the blue line. I said, ‘What was that?’ I didn’t see it,” Frost recalled. “Everyone was a high-skilled player. I found that out quickly. Wow, these guys can really shoot.”

Frost, who has returned to playing hockey for the Octokids (average age 82.63 years), has great memories of his second USA/Canada Hockey Challenge and made a lot of new friends.

“In hindsight, I could have said no, that I’m playing for Team Canada. But I never considered that. I did say to (someone) that I wanted to see a contract and American dollars,” Frost jokingly said.

During the hockey challenge, Frost met a former Lisgar Collegiate Institute student from one of his years, who invited him to come to Huntsville, ON., for a game or two. He also had an invitation to travel to Tampa Bay to put on his $67 (tax included), 20-year-old goalie pads that he bought at Play It Again Sports for another road game.

The experience also allowed him to understand how big old-timers’ hockey is in Huntsville and Saskatoon.

Frost said there are more than 1,100 old-timers playing in Huntsville’s modern Canada Summit Centre in four different age-group leagues and wearing authentic NHL sweaters. The players also have their own clubhouse at the centre.

In Saskatoon, the old-timers raised enough money to have their own dressing room built at their arena. The huge room has 174 stalls, allowing each player to leave his equipment at the rink.

“I did expect to play for Team Canada, but I’m not disappointed I played for the USA. I did my best. I’m at peace with myself. The eight goals I allowed at this calibre of play is not bad for this old guy,” Frost said.

“I’m a very rare bird, a weirdo. I’ve been lucky over the years. I’ve had no knee, hip, ankle or shoulder surgeries. I do have aches and pains. To be whole, I’m blessed. I’ve not been kind to my body. I’m lucky to get to this age and the shape I’m in.

“I’m living the dream. Who would have thought at 83 this would happen? It was a positive thing. I have great, warm feelings about it. Next year? I’m not sure what will happen.”

Frost is good to go no matter what emblem is on the front of his jersey.