From growing up on a local farm to helping NHL stars with conditioning, Mount View resident has led memorable life

The Canadian Navy was kind to Earl Thompson. During his 25 years in the service, he completed his education that had been cut short and went on to experience more than he had ever dreamed of while growing up on his family's mixed farm in Mount View.
The 73-year-old Thompson recently recalled the highs and lows of a career that took him to many places and permitted him to develop skills, especially in the field of recreation and physical education, which allowed him to rub shoulders with some of this nation's greatest athletes.
Getting back to his early days, Earl was expected to do his share of farm duties and this often cut into his hockey playing for Sackville High School.
"I recall one Saturday morning when four of my teammates arrived at our farm and helped me clean out calf pens so I could play in a game that afternoon," he said. "That was the sort of camaraderie we had on that team that was coached by Andy Martin. There were players like Gordie Beal, Henry Richard and Muir MacKinnon on the team."
But Thompson said he never really understood hockey until he joined the navy and received professional coaching. He played with navy teams in Cornwallis and Halifax over the years and, at one time, laced up the skates as a member of the Windsor Maple Leafs of the senior league. It was hockey in the winter, then and baseball or fastball in the summer with Thompson as a steady-hitting first baseman.
In 1970, Thompson was transferred to Camp Borden following integration of the services, and it was here that he was involved in an intensive program in a school of physical education. He was also teaching and coaching at that time, and ultimately became a physical education instructor on a full-time basis.
It was still late in 1970 that he received a call from the Toronto Maple Leafs to join their training camp to help put the players in top condition for the season. And he continued in that role for the next eight years, serving under a trio of head coaches including Red Kelly and Roger Neilson. He said each coach had distinct and definite programs and he felt both brought something special to the program.
"I would spend three weeks in the big camp, working with as many as 85 players who would be split into groups with many ending up with the farm teams," he said. "Everybody was treated the same, and I would set up the program of circuit training and would frequently conduct a full workout while the coaches were busy with other duties."
During his stay with the Leafs, he said such captains as George Armstrong, Dave Keon and Daryl Sittler brought special traits of leadership, while he had positive words for players such as goalies Jacques Plante, Bernie Parent and Doug Favell as well as players like Jim McKenny, Rick Lee, Mike Walton and Bret Selby. But he describes Norm Ullman as one of his favorites, along with Plante and Keon who "really understood the game."
"Daryl Sittler and I remain good friends to this day," he said, "and I have some very nice memories of those days."
One of the fringe benefits was having front row seats for the big game in Toronto in 1972 between Canada's national team and the Russians. And he fondly remembers riding in the team limousine with Harold Ballard and King Clancy. "I liked Mr. Ballard although there were many who didn't."
It was in 1980 that Thompson received another call, this time from Buffalo to come and put the Sabres through their paces. Roger Neilson had moved to Buffalo and wanted his old conditioner to come there, so it became an opportunity to work with such outstanding talent as Gilbert Perreault, Martin and Parent as well as Ramsay, Lorentz and Schoenfield.
"The Toronto organization was first class," he said, "but things were not as professional in Buffalo at that time."
Thompson was a member of the Canadian Military Tattoo in 1966 and '67 and during Expo 67 the group did a cross-Canada tour by train, playing in auditoriums in most major cities.
Following retirement from the services in 1980, Thompson began a second career. In 1987 he became superintendent of facilities at the new sports complex in Port Hope, Ont. In 1994 he took over as facilities manager at Trinity College School.
During all this time, Thompson continued to upgrade his skills and today holds a Level 4 coaching certification and has refereed hockey games up to and including university level. He was involved in the formation of the National Referees Association and the National Coaches Certification program.
Finally, in 1994, Thompson decided to stop his travelling and return to his roots. With his wife Eleanor, they built a new home in Mount View but he slowed down only a little.
Golf had long been a favorite sport - a handicap as low as 6 - and he quickly found the Sackville club to his liking. In addition to competing, he took on the junior development program for several years and fondly recalls some of his prize students -- Jonathan Read, Michael Geier, Pat Busby, Shane Johnson, Chris Patterson, Riley Wilson, Graham Kay and perhaps the best of all Adam Bayne.
Now he is looking to shoot a score matching his age and feels that next year could be the time as he had a low of 74 in Parrsboro, N.S., during the past season.
Malcolm Fisher got Thomposn involved in coaching in the local minor hockey program in 1994 and he has been active until this year. He has worked with pee wee and bantam teams, winning a provincial championship with the peewees. He will be on reserve this season as he takes a break from the rigors of coaching, but will step up if his services are required. He also enjoys hunting and fishing in the local area.
The Thompsons have three children - one son Peter, who just retired after 25 years in the services, and two daughters, Janet and Sheralee.
The military provided an opportunity to achieve a sound education, a chance to play, coach and referee sports, and allowed him to work with NHL teams -- a highlight in a long, distinguished career.
"I guess," says Thompson, "you could say I have always been in the right spot at the right time."