Gary Frey – Builder

Gary Frey started wrestling in 1968 as a student at St. Mary High School with the Prince Albert Wrestling Club under Armand Bernard.

Seven years later, in 1975, after a successful wrestling career at the University of Saskatchewan and carrying a Bachelor of Education degree in hand, Gary returned to his hometown and to the Prince Albert Wrestling Club. He became coach of the club and has been involved with it ever since.

Gary brought to the Prince Albert Wrestling Club a wealth of experience on the mats. As a university wrestler, Gary claimed the Western Canada Intercollegiate Championship in 1971 and Saskatchewan championships in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975. During that time he was second at the Canadian College Athletic Championships in 1971, second at the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Championship in 1972, 1974 and 1975, and captain of the University of Saskatchewan team from 1973-75.

After his university career, Gary claimed the 1976 and 1977 Saskatchewan championships as well.

Gary has coached and managed local, provincial and national wrestlers, as well has taken on other administrative positions. He has coached all ages at the Prince Albert club since 1975. He also coached and managed Saskatchewan’s wrestling team at the 1975 and 1997 Western Canada Summer Games, Zone 8’s entry at the 1981 Saskatchewan Winter Games, Saskatchewan’s Senior Wrestling National Team in Hamilton, Ont., in 1999 and Team Saskatchewan athletes at the Cadet/Juvenile National Championships from 1999 – 2004.

Aside from coaching and managing, Gary has also been tournament director for a number of events. Those include the 1977 Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships, Prince Albert Wrestling Club’s tournament since 1995 and the 1992 Western Canada Bantam Championship.

Gary has also taken on a number of administrative duties with the local and higher wrestling championships. He has been a member at large of the Saskatchewan Amateur Wrestling Association since 1977, and a member of that organization’s board in 1979 and 1994. In 1990, Gary was a member of the board of directors of the Espoir World Cup Championships in Prince Albert. The following year he was a part of the board of directors of the Canadian Schoolboy/Cadet Championships.

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame is proud to welcome one if its own as a builder to its shrine.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.