Wayne Douglas Gretzky

Wayne holding up a Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers (http://michaelmindes.com.jpg)

Wayne Gretzky was born in Brantford, Ontario on January 26, 1961. His full name is Wayne Douglas Gretzky. Wayne has his wife Janet, his five kids, his mom, Phyllis Gretzky, and his dad, Walter Gretzky. Wayne is known for being the greatest hockey player of all time!

As a kid, Wayne would skate for hours on end in his backyard and at local skating rink. In hockey Wayne would always play with an older age group. His dad, Walter Gretzky, was always there for him, teaching and giving good advice. In Wayne’s last year of Peewee, ages 11 and 12, he scored 378 goals. After the pressure of a small town and jealous parents and kids, Wayne moved to Toronto. When he was 15 Wayne played as an emergency call-up player for the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey Association.

Wayne running in with the Olympic torch (http://i2.squidoocdn.com)

Wayne Gretzky played for the Edmonton Oilers for five years before winning his first Stanley Cup. As a rookie, Wayne had 137 points. Wayne played for the Oilers from 1979 to 1988. After winning many awards and scoring many points, and having great seasons, Wayne finally won his first Stanley Cup in 1984 at the age of twenty-three. Wayne also won Stanley Cups in 1986, 1987, and 1988, all with the Edmonton Oilers. After he played with the Oilers, he moved on to the Los Angeles Kings from 1988-1996, then to the St. Louis Blues in 1996, and then ended his great NHL career with the New York Rangers from 1996-1999. After all of Wayne’s seasons and records, Wayne also holds the record for most records in the NHL. After retiring, Wayne was part owner and coach of the Phoenix Coyotes up until 2009. Wayne now owns a restaurant in Toronto on Blue Jays Avenue.

In addition to being a great hockey player, Wayne also created the Wayne Gretzky Foundation. This gives young Canadians the chance to play hockey, even those who cannot afford to buy hockey equipment, or pay for the ice and league fees. Wayne’s charity puts on a charity golf tournament every year. There are all kinds of pro players from the professional golf tour, as well as stars from hockey and other sports. There are also companies who give great donations to the Wayne Gretzky Foundation. The Wayne Gretzky Foundation’s goal is to “provide less fortunate youth with the opportunity to experience the great sport of hockey.” The foundation also pays for the youth to attend NHL games.

Wayne is known for being the greatest hockey player of all time in the world! He has gone from 200-point seasons to winning multiple Stanley Cups, to, now that he has retired, creating and running The Wayne Gretzky Foundation. He also has a restaurant in Toronto on Blue Jays Avenue.

In conclusion, Wayne is a very nice and giving person. He loves the sport of hockey, and he would like every child to have a chance to experience it. He donates lots of money to many kids so they can have a chance to play hockey. For all of these reasons, Wayne is my hero!