BEYOND LOCAL: Like father like son, Clarke chases hockey dream

GUELPH - Jack Clarke has been surrounded by hockey all of his life.

From the United Kingdom, to his family's move to Rockwood, and now Erie, Pennsylvania, where the 17-year-old now plies his trade for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League.

But following in his father's footsteps as a hockey player wasn't even a thought until he arrived in Canada in 2014.

“I used to play soccer when I was a kid growing up,” he said. “That was sort of my main sport."

Originally from Milton Keynes, UK – about 80 kilometres northwest of London – he and the family of five relocated to Rockwood in 2014 after his dad, Gary, ended a two-decade long career as a pro hockey player.

"It had come to a point where it was time to retire, and basically got myself in the real world of employment and was offered a job in Guelph," Gary said.

He played his entire career in the UK, many of those years being played in the now defunct English Premier Ice Hockey League with the Milton Keynes Lightning. In 2002-03, he led the EPIHL with 142 points in 41 games, including a league-best 86 goals.

Gary was also selected to represent the UK on the international stage.

Jack, adjusting to the different style of soccer in Canada where things are less physical, had the conversation with his dad to try hockey out.

"(I) started playing hockey for fun, took the next jump, started playing rep hockey and now we're here," Jack said.

He fell in love with the game and kicked soccer to the side, though Jack will still kick the ball around in a game of sewer ball before hockey games.

Jack learned to skate at 10-years-old, and began playing house league in Acton, where "he wasn't really able to get from one end of the ice to the other."

His second year, as his father details, Jack took massive strides in his development and was the best player on the ice.

"At that very early stage, you just knew that the way he was progressing year-over-year was way faster than anybody else that was around him," Gary said.

Gary added what began as fun turned into a passion about a year in, and wanted to see how far he could take in.

Jack played through the Guelph Jr. Gryphons program all the way up to 2023. Once he was passed over in the OHL Priority Selection, he went down the road in Waterloo.

He played 33 games with the Wolves U18 program, recording 16 goals and 30 points along the way.

Clarke also played three games for the Elmira Sugar Kings (GOJHL).

Internationally, Clarke represented Great Britain at the Division 2 under-18 world championships where he posted six goals and 10 points in five games.

The work he put in paid off last April, when the Otters selected him in the third round, 47th overall, in the OHL's under-18 draft.

“On draft day, I was very excited and thrilled,” he said. “I’m just very grateful.”

He made the team out of camp, and played at the Sleeman Centre Friday night, a 7-4 loss to the Storm.

“I worked my whole life for this, and to be back here is pretty special,” Jack said, noting he had a number of people in attendance, including his parents and both of his brothers.

"It's amazing. A very proud moment as a dad, and his mom was extremely proud as well," Gary added.

"His brother, whose in university in Nova Scotia actually flew back in order to make sure that he could get to see it as well."

It is an athletic family. Younger brother Alex plays for the Waterloo Wolves U14 AAA team this year. Older brother Daniel is a fourth-year soccer goalkeeper for Cape Breton University.

All of them got to take in a full circle moment.

When the family flew over to Canada to look for a place to live, they attended Storm games.

"I remember Jack and his brothers watching the Storm, and just mesmerized by the standard of hockey, the speed of the hockey, the entertainment factor," Gary said.

"Just seeing Jack now, be able to step out on that same ice pad where he watched the Storm – but not only that, he attended camps in that arena, played games as a minor hockey player – it was fantastic, and I hope that there are many more games for Jack in that arena in the coming weeks, months and years."

Jack is in a good spot. While he hasn't registered his first career OHL point, he has a veteran coach to turn to in Stan Butler for advice.

“Stan’s pretty good with understanding it’s (my) first year and we are going to make mistakes,” Jack said. “Nothing along the lines of stupid penalties because that’s when things get out of hand. Our coaching staff’s pretty well run that way.”

And in a pinch, Jack has his father on speed dial for advice.

"When he started to learn to play the game, we thought that that would never really happen," Gary said. "I think a lot of people from the outside looking in probably would think that would never happen.

"But I think when you get to know Jack and his character, I don't think you would bet against him to achieve anything that he puts his mind to."