The Orléans Star

Blind, deaf speedskater hangs up his skates to focus on golf
By Fred Sherwin
Feb. 20, 2019

Kevin Frost with his service dog Lewis by his side. PHOTO SUPPLIED

When blind deaf athlete Kevin Frost first started losing his eyesight and hearing in 1998 as a result of having Usher's Symdrome, he thought his playing days were numbered and he would eventually have to give up his active lifestyle. But when a friend suggested he take up speed skating, he leapt at the opportunity to put on a pair of skates and get back on the ice despite the obvious challenges.

Although not completely blind, Frost has severe tunnel vision which limits his eyesight to that of a normal person looking at the world through a straw. Not good for playing hockey, but adaptable to a sport in which you go in one direction and compete against the clock.

Little did he know when he took his first skate around the Brewer Park oval in 2000, how much the sport would give back to him. Over the years, Frost has won over 60 medals competing against other disabled and able-bodied skaters at the provincial, national and international levels. He's set multiple world records for blind and deaf athletes in the master’s division and is a three-time world champion.

Most recently, Frost won a silver medal at the Jack Shea Sprints on the Olympic Oval in Lake Placid in what is very likely his last competition.

Now 52, Frost plans to hang up his skates, at least competitively, and focus on his newest love – golf.

"My speed skating coach, Mike Rivet, who also happens to be a competitive golfer, suggested that I spend more time working on my golf game,"" says Frost, adding that he's accomplished everything he could accomplish as a speed skater. "It's time for me to focus on this next challenge."

Although, he's tried other sports like rowing and cycling with limited success, golf allows him to bring his service dog Lewis on the course with him along with his girlfriend Loretta, who acts as his spotter. He also happens to be pretty good at it.

Since taking up the sport just three short years go, Frost has quickly made a name for himself in the blind, deaf golf community. In 2018, he had the lowest net score at the provincial and Canadian championships and placed second at the United States Open Championships. Last year, despite a busy schedule trying to split his time between cycling and golf, he finished second at the Canadian championships in Cranbrook, B.C.

With his speed skating career at an end, Frost plans to focus exclusively on golf as he pursues the Canadian title. He's also been invited to compete at the World Blind Golf Championships which will take place place in South Africa in September.

Interestingly enough, of the biggest challenges for amateur golfers also happens to be one of the easiest things for vision-impaired golf. Amateur golfers often tell themselves to "keep their eye on the ball" before striking it. For golfers with a severe tunnel vision like Frost, the only thing they see when setting up for shot is the golf ball, although their depth of vision can also be an issue.

Frost credits the generosity of the Pine View Golf Course and the White Sands Golf Centre, which let him practice anytime he wants free of charge, for the steady improvement in his game, as well as his technical coach Taylor Lafferty at GolfTech on Lancaster Road.

And despite the fact that he will be turning 53 this year, Frost says he doesn't plan to retire anytime soon. In fact, he's already thinking about taking up the sport of curling.

"It looks like fun and it will get me back on the ice," says Frost with his usual enthusiasm.