Long before becoming hockey's all-time leading scorer, Wayne Gretzky grew up playing nearly every sport available to him in Brantford, Ontario. 

He used the same philosophy when he approached fatherhood decades later. Four out of his five children competed in different sports at Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California. 

As a kid, Gretzky played lacrosse, soccer and ran track along with hockey, and has said baseball was actually his first love. 

"I would come home in March or early April and throw my hockey bag downstairs," Gretzky said in an article by VC Star. "I didn't get my hockey equipment out again until after Labor Day." 

He explained how that much early exposure to multiple sports became the dream for how he wanted his own children to grow up. He did not want to push them toward hockey simply because of his own career.

Ty moved between schools to pursue golf, while Trevor starred in football and baseball before the Cubs drafted him in 2011.

He spent six years in the minor leagues before shoulder injuries ended his playing career. Tristan Gretzky won a league golf title at Oaks Christian before playing collegiately at Pepperdine, while Emma Gretzky competed in tennis. 

"As parents, we decided to let our kids choose what they wanted to do," Gretzky said. "Each and every child has their love and their interest."

"You live your life through your kids," Gretzky adds. "My dad's dream was to play in the NHL and he didn't make it. So he lived his life through me. My dream was to be a Major League Baseball player and I wasn't good enough. Watching Trevor pursue that was always fun for me, because he was an exceptional player."

Despite his own hockey background, Gretzky said his ultimate priority for each child was about using sports as a path toward a college education. This was because only a small percentage of athletes turn professional in their career.

Let's Take A Look At Gretzky ’s Influential Legacy

Gretzky retired in 1999 after 20 NHL seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.

He closed his career with 894 goals, 1,963 assists and 2,857 points. These numbers still remain at a height in the NHL records. He won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers, a record nine Hart Trophies as league MVP, and ten Art Ross Trophies as the NHL's scoring leader.

After his retirement, Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame immediately. He became the tenth and final player to reach the standard three-year waiting period waived. 

He later went on to serve as the executive director of Canada's gold medal-winning men's hockey team at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Gretzky even coached the Phoenix Coyotes from 2005 to 2009. 

Even after so many years, he has remained closely tied to the sport as a broadcaster, analyst and ambassador, holding the same influence on the sport.

Read more at NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi