Playing Field

'At the time when I got the silver medal, I wanted to throw it in the garbage,' says Penetanguishene's Chris Kontos, who played for Canada at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer

Alec Belanger, Mitchell Weeks and James Hardie all at crucial points of their development

Latest COVID restrictions make you wonder how many young athletes have been robbed of chance to some day grow into elite competitors, writes sports columnist

James Boyd, who has deep local roots, is part of the Team Canada management group; 'It’s about coming up with the best performance on demand,' he says

Manitoba native Jennifer Jones, her curling husband Brent Laing and their two daughters call the Barrie area home, and she has been using local facilities as her training base

Jillian Frechette, Claire Welsh and Tiffany Gordon have different stories to tell and have taken different career paths, but all lead back to Barrie

'I came to Barrie because it was the best way (to get to) the NHL. I also want to improve my English,' says Oskar Olausson

'We never knew when after we started when we were going to get that tap on the shoulder to say that the season was cancelled,' says coach

Darren Rumble assisted on the game-winning goal in the Ottawa Senators' inaugural game in 1992, while Bruce Gardiner scored the first goal in Columbus Blue Jackets history in 2000

Beau Jelsma is entering his rookie season with the Colts, but his mom, known as Penny Papaioannou at the time, trained at Barrie's vaunted Mariposa School of Skating almost three decades ago