The Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association recognized three individuals who made significant contributions to the sport of hockey in the community on Friday afternoon. 

Bob (Bugsy) Seward

Seward was an instrumental part of growing the sport of hockey in the Glace Bay community.

In the mid 1960s, he established the Glace Bay Community Hockey Clinic, which was created to give local children the opportunity to learn and play the game in 1965.

Seward prepared the players before they joined the Rotary Common School League, which was essential bantam hockey. The players later went on to play with the Glace Bay Youth Hockey Association, which had midget and juvenile divisions.

The first registration, open and free to participants, had around 100 people registered. The success followed in 1966 with under-12, which had a one-hour ice time for about 100 kids.
The program continued to expand to under-11 players with another 100 kids registered. It eventually grew to include under-9 and eventually the tots program.

The program would eventually have close to 300 people involved with dozens of coaches, instructors and executives. It continued until 1985 when it became part of the minor hockey association.

As a player, Seward began his hockey career with the Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association during the 1950s.

During his career, he played bantam, midget, juvenile, interscholastic, junior and senior hockey. After playing with the Jr. Miners, he attended Acadia University in Wolfville, playing four years with the Axemen from 1960-63.

Following his time with the Axemen, Seward spent five seasons with the senior Miners from 1963 to 1968.

As an on-ice official, Seward began in the school league as referee-in-chief. Upon his return to Glace Bay, he began working games at the bantam, midget, high school, intermediate, junior and senior leagues. He was part of the first national referees’ program, graduating as a national certified referee in 1968.

Off the ice, Seward coached at Morrison High School for several years, winning a provincial title in 1964. He also coached four seasons with the midget Miners, the Jr. Miners affiliate, as well as the Centennial Miners and many years at the peewee level.

Barrie Campbell

Barrie Campbell began playing hockey when he was nine-years-old, attending Bob Seward’s peewee clinic.

He later suited up for the peewee Clippers when he was 12-years-old before moving on to common school for St. Anne’s and then midget ‘A’ for two years. He later played for the Glace Bay Kinsmen in the juvenile league and with the Glace Bay Miners from 1976-80.

Following his playing career, he continued his passion for hockey by coaching, starting with an atom house team in 1993. He later progressed to coach atom ‘A’, peewee, bantam ‘A’ and midget ‘X.’

Campbell was an instrumental part of developing female hockey and coached in the category at the peewee, bantam and major midget divisions.

His coaching career led to many awards, but more notably was winning provincial titles at the midget ‘X’, female peewee ‘A’ and female bantam ‘A’ divisions.

His love for hockey and desire to give all children, both male and female, a chance to play and learn about the game while having fun made him one of the most respected and admired coaches in local minor hockey.

Charlie Campbell

From the time he began playing hockey as a child to finishing his career with the huff and puff group, Charlie Campbell always had a passion for the game.

His biggest impact in the sport may have come off the ice.

As an organizer, he made sure children’s time in hockey was the best it could be and his involvement in the Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association website was his way of giving back to the players.

Campbell set the bar high for everyone in the association, making sure it was special for all players, no matter the age, division or calibre of hockey they played.

He put a spotlight on all the players every chance he could, making them feel like they were superstars. Some may not have had that attention again in sports.

A Letter of Thanks to Coach Barrie Campbell

by Nellie Edwards

This is to express my sincere appreciation to Coach Barrie Campbell as he is inducted into the Glace Bay Miners Wall of Fame. This well-deserved recognition highlights his immense contributions to the development of youth hockey, where his influence has left a lasting legacy on and off of the ice.

His journey in Glace Bay Minor Hockey spans several decades. After his competitive playing days, he shifted his attention to coaching and quickly became known for his unwavering commitment to the development of young players. Barrie’s coaching philosophy focused on skill development, grit and hard-work, while fostering positive character traits which resonated deeply with both players and parents alike. 

GBMH teams saw and felt success under Coach Campbell’s guidance. He led several teams to awards and championships. One story can be of the time he coached his daughter Anna’s all female team to a provincial title at the Glace Bay Minor’s Forum. I, too, played on this team and still recall the thoughts of anticipation and nervousness leading up to the opening puck drop. We had played Halifax earlier in the round robin and lost. Halifax had a great team but before we left the dressing room, Barrie reminded us that we also had a great team. Today, years later, I can still remember how much fun we all had in that game, and better yet, how it felt when we won at home. 

Barrie Campbell played an instrumental role in developing female hockey in our community coaching GBMH Pee Wee and Bantam teams that won provincial championships, and later Coach of the Ferguson’s Pharma Choice Screaming Eagles, the inaugural Major Midget female hockey team in Cape Breton. The Eagles evolved to the Panthers and now the Cape Breton Lynx. Coach Campbell can be referenced as an early integral figure to this hockey club’s success and onward growth to present day.

Thank you, Coach Campbell and congratulations on your lifetime achievement and well-deserved induction to Glace Bay Miners Wall of Fame. 

Words From A Player To Her Favourite Coach, Her Dad

“As my father is inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame, I can’t help but reflect on the countless hours we’ve spent at the rink together. 

Dad introduced me to the sport when I was seven years old after a year of figure skating lessons. I remember the day he asked me if I wanted to try it out as a little girl sitting on a kitchen chair. I still remember being hesitant at first, but fast forward twenty-four years later and I continue to lace up my skates to play the game we both love. 

Throughout the years, Dad has coached many of the teams I played on. He gave up his evenings, early mornings, and weekends every year to coach hockey. He would dedicate his summer vacations to take me to development camps and provincial tryouts. Dad always encouraged me to reach my potential, always saying, “make me proud,” before I would head into the rink. 

His dedication to the game and to teaching us the values of team work, discipline and perseverance never went unnoticed. His leadership and guidance led us to provincial titles, constantly encouraging us to be our best while instilling a sense of pride and determination in us all. His reputation in our hockey community is well known and well respected by all who had the privilege of playing for him. 

Even as an adult, I still feel the same sense of excitement when he gets to see me play. His support means everything to me, and I continue to strive to make him proud. Today, I can confidently say he has not only made me, but all of the Glace Bay community proud with this incredible achievement.”  

Segment provided by Anna Campbell.