Speaker 1:
Tee up, it's time for the Blind Golf Canada Podcast.
Jerry Nelson:
Hello again everybody, and welcome back to the Blind Golf Canada podcast. He's Darren Duma. I'm Jerry Nelson. We have Ryan with us from AMI as well as Producer Ryan behind the scenes making us sound good. Good, like we do in each episode. That's horrible English, I know, but it's been a while. We're pumped. We're excited to be back and we have a special guest with us today, but before we get to him, Darren, what's up with you buddy? What's new in the Blind Golf world?
Darren Duma:
Not much. We're just waiting for the snow to melt and the sun to come out so we can get out there and start playing.
Jerry Nelson:
January is almost done. We've got February and some golfers will be starting as early as mid-March with the US Open in Columbus, Georgia starting on March 19th. And some of you, our guest included along with you, Darren and some others, will be heading to Cape Town, South Africa for the World Blind Golf Championships. And we're going to talk about that a little more into the podcast. But right now, on behalf of Darren, it is my pleasure to introduce to you one of our fine B2 golfers in Blind Golf Canada. He's also a para-athlete in other sports that we will talk about, and he is just recently the brand new author of a book called Deaf/Blind Champion. Welcome to the podcast everyone, Kevin Frost.
Kevin Frost:
Hey guys, how you Darren and hey Jerry, pleasure to hear and see you guys. You're too far away from Ottawa, but it's going to be an enjoyable program to share how to motivate and make you feel smile every day.
Jerry Nelson:
Well, we're anxious and excited to talk about that too, Frosty. And before we get into the book, per se, for those of you that don't know Kevin Frost, Kevin, how old are you first of all?
Kevin Frost:
I'm 55, just turned 55.
Jerry Nelson:
You don't look a day over 50.
Kevin Frost:
Yes sir. I'm trying to hit 25, but I think I'm 55.
Jerry Nelson:
Right. Kev, where were you born?
Kevin Frost:
I was born in Victoria. Victoria, BC.
Jerry Nelson:
Really? I did not know that. And when and how did you end up in Ottawa?
Kevin Frost:
So in '72, dad was in DnD Armed forces. So we transferred, we drove across Canada to Ottawa and we've been in Blackburn, Hamlet since 1972 and I've moved a couple of times now and living in the town of Orleans, which is kind of the centre of Ottawa.
Jerry Nelson:
I'm familiar with it. Lots of guide dog training goes on there.
Kevin Frost:
100%, yes.
Jerry Nelson:
Kev, do you have any other family, brothers, sisters?
Kevin Frost:
Yes. Yeah, I have my brother Pat Frost. He's a staff sergeant in the Ottawa Police. He's a wonderful gentleman. He does a lot of charity work for autism. He's been a big supporter for me on all my five different sports. And he also throw the big Kids Come First tournament for autism to help raise $50,000 for 10 families in Orleans. And they use Frosty as the putting, beat the blind guy in putting and you get extra tickets.
Jerry Nelson:
Okay, right on. Right on. So Kevin, the condition that you have is called Usher Syndrome, is that correct?
Kevin Frost:
Yes, it is. So I have Usher syndrome. So for the audience, Usher syndrome is, I have type two where I lost my hearing young and then when I was 30 I lost my vision and the vision was part of the RP, but it's a double dual disability. So my hearing first, then my vision, second. Helen Keller was type one. So she was born deaf, born blind. Type three is your vision first and then your hearing. So I was the lucky soul in my family, which nobody else has encountered, but that's okay. I always say everything happens for a reason.
Jerry Nelson:
Right. When you say you were young when you lost your hearing, how young? Excuse me.
Kevin Frost:
I was 11 years old. I was actually approached by my math teacher and he said, "Kevin, I realize when I'm behind you you don't speak, but when I'm in front you kind of have better communication." He said, "I think you have a hearing." I said, "No, I don't." But I went and saw my audiologist and he looked at me and he said, "Oh my gosh, Kevin, you only hear 25% at that time." And so what the help of hearing aids and cetera, et cetera, they helped me advance in new school. What was really more exciting was when I was 10 years old, I had a speech impediment. So with the hearing aid I had to learn how to speak without hearing words from the fresh. So it's a different way of living. With today's technology, I'm able to hear a little bit better with today's technology, but if I don't have my hearing aid on, I try to lip-read to compensate for the missed words. So I have a conversation of 100 words, I might hear about 60 and I fill in the blank.
That's kind of how I... Hearing aids are great, but when you're out there on a windy course, it's like you have no hearing, but that's reality. If you complain about everything, you're not going to get anywhere. So I just learned to laugh and just deal with it.
Jerry Nelson:
Kev, I was 11 years old when I lost my mother. And the point of that is that I know what people and especially kids can be like at age 11. What was it like for you growing up from age 11 with the hearing impairment?
Kevin Frost:
Back in those days it was tough because they were bulkier. I used to get teased and bullied or "There's the deaf guy, let's go make fun of him." But at the end of the day, I always kept my positive attitude going. I always kept busy at a young age. I had a paper route. I started refereeing hockey young. I had dreams to be an NHL linesman. So I just kept myself busy and realize if the kids want to make fun of you, I just let it go. I always say every time you receive a negative, give back a positive. And that's kind of how I lived since I was a little kid and I won't change that.
Jerry Nelson:
Well that is awesome, Kev. Now you're 11 years old, you're growing up with this hearing impairment. 11 years later, I assume you're diagnosed at that time with RP and what was that like? Not only to live with but being diagnosed with that second or that double whammy if you like?
Kevin Frost:
Yes, yes. So at 11 I was diagnosed with the hearing and then about 19 years later I was diagnosed with Usher syndrome. So during that transition I became a workaholic because I had a goal to be a millionaire when I was 30. So I raised a family of three Madison, Montana and Mitchell, and around age 25, my night vision got really bad and I didn't think anything. I thought it was just old age. But when I used to drive, I used to drive down that yellow line and that's the only thing that got me home every night. What was more scary was when it was raining or snowing, I used to pull over and wait for an 18-wheeler, because they used to have eight lights on the back of the truck and that's how I got home. But that's the way I learned to adapt, life is all about adapting.
So I continued to do that until I was 30 and I went and saw my ophthalmologist and Dr. Peter Hurting said, "I got some news you share with you." And I said, "Doctor", I said, "I'm doing really well." He said, "Well, you have a condition called Usher Syndrome, Mr. Frost. And unfortunately, I have to do the hardest thing that a doctor had to do is I got to tell you I have to take your license away. I got to take your job away. You have to stop refereeing and you have to stop your landscaping company." So needless to say, my workaholism just even to this day I can feel it now. It's like hitting rock bottom. It's like a black hole. It was like, I don't want to do anything. Who's going to pay my mortgage? Who's going to pay my kids' education?
But needless to say hitting rock bottom, I've experienced here, I know what depression's all about. I know about what making a fair amount of money and now I'm making very minimal. But at the end of the day, with the help of CNIB, I'm very blessed that they were able to give me my options to know, "Hey Kev, you could go totally blind and totally deaf. We don't know, but we're going to help you get back on your feet." And with the health of CNIB, I get intervener service. Intervener services for the Deaf/Blind mean I get nine hours a week to do banking groceries, even go to like I would telling Darren, I go hit some indoor golfing because I can't read the screens. So my intervener K would say, "Hey Frosty, you hit at 160, you were four degrees off." So that kind of what intervener is all kind of all about. So it created my independent back.
Jerry Nelson:
Kev, at what age was it at 22 or was it a little bit later that-
Kevin Frost:
It's 32. 32. 32.
Jerry Nelson:
32. I'm sorry.
Kevin Frost:
No, no, no. At 32 where it all started and then 34 is kind of when the ball kind of just went, you're done, you're not done, but you're into a new life.
Jerry Nelson:
Right. And was it at age 34 that CNIB came on board and intervener services? That's that sort of thing.
Kevin Frost:
Yeah, yeah. It created a new independence. Was it perfect? No, it wasn't overly perfect. But where it made it more perfect guys is when I got my first service guide dog Nemo. That's what completed my life because having a service guide dog, it changed my life to independence. A cane is great, but it doesn't tell you where the curves or it doesn't tell you where the trees are. It doesn't tell you where to walk because I don't hear the trees, I don't hear the cars coming. So with the help of my first guide dog Nemo, I was able to go places faster and I was able to go everywhere. Fly in the plane, I take them everywhere. Even I had them golfing with me and golfing, they would lie under my feet on the cart. And that's the way a service dog is, because they want to be with you at all times.
Jerry Nelson:
So you get your service dog, Kev. And from age 11 to now 34, your service dog is wonderful. I've had them myself. But that is a physical component to living every day, day to day. There must have been a lot of emotional upheaval, a rollercoaster up and down. I imagine it affected not only you but your family as well.
Kevin Frost:
Very well said. So to put it in perspective, having blindness was is toughness as it is. Now only have 10% hearing it throws a big loop on balance issues, communication issues. Do you know how frustrating it is when I got to ask people to repeat what they said? It's not a pleasant world sometimes, but people are very acceptable to repeat and sometimes two, three times because that's my reality. But I have found ways to make it easier and adapt everything. So needless to say having the dual disability made it difficult growing up. My kids communicating, even doing all the different sports. But I said to myself, I want to be a champion in everything I do. And that's why I wrote a book called Deaf/Blind Champion. I want to help people mentally. I want to get them to a level that they've never been at.
Jerry Nelson:
Wow. Those are some pretty strong words. So do you think the emotional upheaval in dealing with your condition has in essence made you what you are today?
Kevin Frost:
100% Jerry and Darren, 100%. Even going further, I also did mission for 20 years to help 29 kids hear in Mexico, and Nicaragua. That is what made me even stronger. And I'll tell you why. When you go to a third nation country and they got no electricity, no running water, and they have really no houses to live. We live such a very comfortable life, that taught me the importance of life. That's made me stronger. When I'm having a bad golf game or I fall down, I go, oh my God, I could be back in Mexico or Nicaragua when they have nothing. So everything we do in life is so important. So being the mission for 29, and I'll share one experience, had a boy named Alfredo who was seven years old, he'd never heard in his life.
I drive into his village and about 100 kids come out of nowhere and Alfredo come down the hill and Yvonne is my translator because it's Mexican, said, "Here comes Alfredo. For one he probably won't come near you. He doesn't know who you are. He doesn't know what to say." I said, "Don't worry about it." And so Alfredo comes down, sits on a swing and I'm giving away food and clothes and out of nowhere, I had a little more vision at that time I wave at Alfredo, he came over, he grabbed my hand right away and Yvonne looked at me and said, "Oh my God." So needless to say, because he saw my hearing aid, he realized that he had a hearing loss. So we put two and two together via our vibes. So needless to say he got really comfortable with me. Then I went back to his house, which is 10 feet by 10 feet with bamboo all over it.
Just cement walls that are 10 inches thick by cement and they sleep on the ground on a blanket. That's the way they live. So what I said to his mother, through translation of Yvonne said, I want to try something with Alfredo to see if he can hear. So being in the hearing world, I understand how a hearing aid works. So I was able to take my extra hearing aid and put it on Alfredo. Now you have to picture this, Alfredo for eight years has never heard a sound. So I put my hearing aid on it and he started to smile because he got to hear for the first time. So he took my hand, we went outside, he got to hear birds, he got to hear things he's never heard. What was more fascinating guys, is he actually got to hear his mother's voice.
And the first word that came out of Alfredo's mouth was, "Hi mama" in Mexican. That was a teary moment because it's a gift in itself. So needless to say he knew that I was a speed skater at that time and he would try to imitate skating. So it was a lot of fun to watch him do that. But at the end of the day, I promised his mother that I would get hearing aids for Alfredo. So to do hearing aids, I came back to Canada and I worked with the Lions clubs and I worked with the hearing aid companies. We raised like $3,000 and I was able to get a hearing tech down in Mexico for Alfredo because we need the proper hearing aids. Then I went to the Mexican embassy because you got to ship medical equipment through diplomatic pouch. So needless to say everything got set up, sent to him. Alfredo is living a normal life. And in school he got speech therapy. He goes to the hospital to update his hearing aid.
But what's fascinating guys is when I arrived at the village, they were all playing soccer with a two-litre empty bottle. And they're just fascinating to watch. They're always happy. They're the poorest people in the world, but they were happy, doesn't matter. And they were just happy to have a visitor there. So when I left with the hearing aids with Alfredo, I asked him, every person that I help in the world, it can be an adult, it can be a child. I said, if there's anything I can get for you, what would it be? So the translation went through, what do you think Alfredo wanted? That's an eight-year-old boy. What do you think he asked for? I asked him, doesn't matter how much it costs. Just take a guess. Take two guesses, what do you think, Darren?
Jerry Nelson:
Television?
Kevin Frost:
No, because they have no electricity. Take another guess. Darren, what do you think an eight-year-old boy would want?
Darren Duma:
I would say a soccer ball, but he probably wants his hearing.
Kevin Frost:
There you go. So he got his hearing and you hit the nail on he wanted the soccer ball because they had a two-litre bottle. So I went to Walmart bought him of soccer ball. The funny story is I came back a year later and I went to see him. He come back and the soccer ball is flat. So what I did is I went and bought three soccer ball and two pumps. So needless to say I learned something about, because we got to realize we have electricity, we have water. So needless to say all my stories were compelling that way.
I do Ted talks and I talk about so many stories and I have over 50 stories that I could show you, but that's not the purpose to call. I just wanted to give you a genuine experience. What has made me stronger, doing these missions, helping people. And that is more rewarding. And that's why I'm the stronger person I am. You know what? Next time I see you and Darren and Jerry, I might lose all my vision. I went and saw my hearing doc, sorry, my ophthalmologist. He said, "Kevin, your vision's down, but keep your hopes up. Keep doing what you're doing."
Jerry Nelson:
Well and what you've been doing, Kevin has been absolutely amazing ever since I first met you and your fiance, Loretta, I've gotten to know you and me not being able to see you at all. And when we first met speaking to you just in a conversation, I had no idea of any disabilities of any sorts whatsoever. You're out there playing golf with us. So yes, of course you've got to be visually impaired. I had no idea about the hearing impairment, anything like that. And still to this day, I continue to hear things about Kevin Frost and realize I had no idea. And I know a lot of other people out there in our world have made comments similar to that as well. And Kevin, given everybody that you have met and know within the para-sport world, the Blind Golf world, can you tell us one thing that nobody knows yet about Kevin Frost?
Kevin Frost:
I think in fairness, my motto is every day is a great day and always be happy. And don't take life for granted because there are a lot more people who are worse off. I know total blind and total deaf people and it's a different world altogether. And it could be my world. So needless to say. There's many ways to answer that question is just remember to be good at what you want to do, to be successful in your sporting world, in life, in relationships, your finances. I always say fail faster forward. Why? Because we know we all have to learn from our mistakes. In every single sport that I have done, in everything I have done in life, I realize the only way we're going to learn is to move forward every time. We can't change what's happened behind us, but we can put a smile on people's face on having that positive attitude.
I have some bad days, of course, I do. But I have limitations. And I realize the simplicity of life is truly to be happy every day because mentally I've been there and I know what it takes to get out of a black hole. I know what it takes to be a champion. I know what it takes to make people smile. And I know what it takes to move people and that's why I do what I do.
Jerry Nelson:
Wow, those are great and very inspirational words, Kev. Amazing. And speaking of good and successful, let's talk about some sports. Let's start with Blind Golf. How did you find out about Blind Golf? How did you get into it? Why did you get into it and what attracted you to Blind Golf?
Kevin Frost:
Yeah, so there's a lot of factors beating five different sports across Canada and Blind Golf, I guess it would be my seventh year, I would just said I always enjoyed golf and I didn't know if they had Blind Golfing. So I reached out, did some research, and at that time I didn't know what was out there. So long story short, I Googled and with the help of some friends, it said that there's an Ontario organization called OVIG, Ontario Visual Impaired Golfers. I said no. So I reached out to them and they said, "Oh yes, we do Blind Golfing and if you're interested, here's some membership package and this is what we do to help Blind Golfers." And then I said, you know what? I'd like the fact that they're able to accommodate because I'm on long-term disability. And they were able to offset that kind of helped me make my decision because then I got, okay, now I'm in Ottawa, where do I start with a golf bag and where do I start?
So because I've done so many sports and because I ran into a lot of people, I had a gentleman named Glen Costello and he said, "Why don't you come to my golf course and I will get you started and I will train you for the first year. I will give you clubs and you don't have to worry about, just come here and golf and we will take care of you." So long story short, I really got interested with the help of Glen and then it led to having a few guides that volunteered at the Marshals and then it led to golf tech taking me on just to help me out.
So a lot of golfing people have come forward to help to make my journey financially viable. And I'm very grateful for Blind Golf Canada and I'm very grateful for now going to be Ontario Blind Golf, what they do because I couldn't afford to do what I do without their direction, without Glen, without the guys who stepped up without the company to help me get to where we go. And now with the assistance of Blind Golf Canada going to worlds, it makes it very, very warming and very humbling. So needless to say, I'm very grateful and I always say I'm still new in this sport. I got lots to learn, a lot of great B1, B2, B3s, I still have lots to learn. So it's going to take a while to get up to the top.
Jerry Nelson:
Well the important thing, Kev, is that you are out here and our motto is you can still play. And you are obviously proving that. And as you were talking about who and how you got into it, it would be wonderful if every Blind Golfer had a Glen in their world, wouldn't it? Because I've been doing this-
Kevin Frost:
Have a what? Sorry?
Jerry Nelson:
A Glen. Glen.
Kevin Frost:
Okay.
Jerry Nelson:
Forget his last name. Glen Costello.
Kevin Frost:
Oh, Glen Costello. Yes. Glen Costello.
Jerry Nelson:
Yeah. Yeah. If everybody had a Glen Costello in their world. I know the people that have helped me over the past 30 years and I don't think a lot of us would be doing what we're doing today without the help of so many other people. Darren, I think you had a question.
Darren Duma:
Yes. I was just going to ask Kevin, you are involved in the Blind Golf now, but what other sports have you been involved in?
Kevin Frost:
Yeah, so it kind of all started out with the blind speed skating. So I did short track and long track and short track it's 110-metre track. And we do distance of 500, 777, 1000, 1500 and 3000. The average speed is about 40 to 44 kilometres an hour for myself on short track. I also do long track, which is a 400-meter track and the top speed on a 500 meter, I'd be clocked at 56 kilometres an hour by my coach Mike Revey. Now to put it in perspective, some people would say, well how can a Deaf/Blind people's Deaf/Blind person's speed skate? First I had to come overcome balance issues. So with the great help of great sport organizations in Ottawa, I was able to come overcome balance. Being Deaf/Blind, your balance is thrown off. So I had to in learn how to adjust and be adaptable on the ice.
So long story short, I ended up wasn't sure how they were going to take a Deaf/Blind skater in short track. So it's like roller derby. So needless to say I was able to compete against able-bodied speed skating. Because my goal was to get as many blind people or try and get blind speed skating to grow. So the only way I could do that is to compete with able-bodied. So I did short track and I did very successfully. Then I switched over to long track. This is where I gained momentum. So I went to compete at six World Cups at the Able Body World Champions. And when I went to all these events, I went to the different countries to educate what I was doing to try to get more blind skaters from their country to participate. So needless to stay in. I went from 24th to 18 to 12th to 11th, and about four years ago I finished eighth in the world against able-bodied.
That was a huge accomplishment for myself against able-bodied and I'm very blessed for even the skaters allowing me to compete with them. But they all had good sportsmen. I became an idol for them because they realized the severity of my disability. And just to show how in speed skating the Netherlands is the speed skating capital of the world. When I went to their world championship before I even entered the country, they knew who I was, what my time was, they knew what I eat, they know everything about you. So that's how well the Netherlands is a speed skating cap. So needless to say it was just a huge accomplishment. I met a lot of very prominent speed skaters from the Netherlands and they all just came. They said amazing. So I was able to get Jamie Weatherston Cindy Klassen, and Richard Shoebridge, Ivanie Blondine, Isabelle Weidemann to skate in my shoes.
So I got glasses and ear muffs put on them and it was fun to watch him because they were just very disoriented. So Cindy Klassen came back, said, she just laughed and said, "I'm afraid to go around the corner with the vision you have." And Richard Shoebridge, he was a little more daring, but he had to hold onto me because he didn't realize how close he was to me. Ivanie Blondine and Isabelle were just very supportive. They were younger. Now they're the champions of speed skating Canada right now as we speak. So it was just fun to experience that. But I don't do that to say feel sorry, I just do that to show what the severity I deal with.
So how do I speed skate? So when you start, I don't hear the guy say "Ready." They lower an orange band to go down to the ground. That means ready. So when you finish your rates there, there's a lap counter. I can't read the numbers, there's a bell lap, I can't hear it. So through my FM system, my hearing aid, my coach would communicate with me. They let me know when I'm getting close to the corner to attack to the corner. That kind of educates how I'm able to speed skate. Trust me, I've been deterred a lot, I've fell a lot. I've been injured. I was out for six month commission.
So needless to say speed skating was my alpha because I would got a chance to go to the world championship in Russia and Scotland and I was able to become a three-time world champion and going to those events, they really changed the dynamics of what it takes to be a champion at that level in short track and long track in Scotland, in Russia and Canada. So it's a very fascinating experience to compete with other skaters around the world with just the vision issues. So that was been how long experience.
Jerry Nelson:
So Kev, which is harder speed skating or Blind Golf or can you even compare the two?
Kevin Frost:
They all have their different, every sport has the same principles. I'm not tell you why speed skating, I did rowing for Canada, I did track for Canada, I did tandem cycling. Every sport has the same fundamentals. They all have obstacles, but it all comes down to this Jerry. The harder we try, the harder I speed skate, the harder I ran, the harder I did on tandem, the harder I do golfing, the more mistakes you have. You got to find that comfort zone and just be relaxed. And that's when you play the best game. That's when I skated the best. That's when I did tandem rides. When I do a 100K race under three hours, that's when I perform the best. When you try harder, it sounds weird, you fall apart. So you got to find that comfort zone.
And so here's a funny story, when I got my World Cup in Russia, my coach comes to me and says, "Today we're going to do something different." My very first race, 500 meters. He said, "We're going to try something different. I only want you to skate 80% at this rate." And I looked at him, I said, "You crazy, Mike?" So I followed his message and I went after did the race, and I said, "Are you happy?" But I felt I didn't do my best race. He said, "You know what, I'm ecstatic Kevin. That's your world record and you skated smarter." So the simple message to all ethics, find your comfort zone, be relaxed. You're going to play well in every sport you do. And that's what I figured out. That's what I figured out in all five sports.
Jerry Nelson:
That's good advice. That's excellent advice. Let's talk about your book, Kevin Deaf/Blind, Champion, it's called. Why did you write a book?
Kevin Frost:
Yes. So I have it in front of me, Jerry. I got that book, look at my book, I'm just showing it. And it's a picture of me and Lewis going down a fairway. And on the title it said, Deaf/Blind Champion, "It's the true story of hope and inspiration of excellence in sports and life." Why did I choose it? I think because doing five different sports and overcoming mental challenges and overcoming sharing your stories with my service guide dogs, Nemo and Lewis, and sharing the stories of advocacy, I also do advocacy to help provincial and federal to get more funding for people who need it. So needless to say in this book I share about everything, but I also share the people who help me in the way. So I want to motivate, I want to help people who are not, if they don't know what to do in life or they're just having a bad day, read this book, I guarantee you're going to change your life. And that's why I decided to do it.
Jerry Nelson:
So in a couple of sentences, Kev, if I was to ask you the direct message to people stemming from your book is question mark? Is what?
Kevin Frost:
Okay. Just repeat the question.
Jerry Nelson:
What is your message Kev?
Kevin Frost:
My message is for me, becoming a Deaf/Blind champion with only three senses left, I was able to do this all my life. It didn't matter if it was sports, it didn't matter if it was just doing a job. It didn't matter if I was in a relationship, raising your family, growing older. The main principle here is I want to teach people the importance of life and to be a champion in everything we do in life, there are very important fundamentals. There's your health, there's your positive attitude, there's adaptability, there's your giving, and you also have to have dreams. So if you put them all together, that's how you can become a champion of what you want to do. So that's why I produced this book to help people. And at the end of the day, parts of the proceeds from the book is going to go back to Canadian guide dog, because I had Nemo for 10 years and Lewis.
And unfortunately Lewis actually a month, sorry, a week ago passed away. But I lost him in September because he had three-degree kidney disease, but in a very important part of my life. But that is also in the book, my guide dog stories. Some funny stories, I always nickname my Nemo as Puddles because he would walk around the puddles and I would go through them. So I called him Puddles. But what back to golfing, which is very exciting is I've met so many wonderful people and you guys are also an inspiration, Jerry and Darren. Darren's such a go-getter, he's helped the sport so much. And without Darren, some of the events would be very hard to run properly. So we have great people in organizing who go out of their way to do more. So they need to be recognized for that too.
Darren Duma:
Thanks Kevin.
Jerry Nelson:
Yeah, so Kevin, when not everybody can start out in life and get to the point where they are a successful champion in multiple sports and have the experience and them, I guess inspiration if you will, to write a book, why do you think people get stuck from time to time along the way when dealing with and living with disabilities? In our case, hearing loss and vision loss? Why do you think people struggle from time to time?
Kevin Frost:
I think we all live in a box. And the reason I say that, when I ask you that, what does that mean, we all live in a box? Just curious what Darren and Jerry are thinking and I'll tell you why.
Jerry Nelson:
First thing that comes to my mind is confinement.
Kevin Frost:
And Darren, when I say we all live in a box and why?
Darren Duma:
Sometimes we get isolated with our situation and we kind of just stay within that box.
Kevin Frost:
Yes. So to answer that question is disabled or not, if we live in a box, we're not ever going to be able to push through the barrier. And this is where I'm going to share with you guys. Do you realize we live in a box, we look at a box every day as our phone, we work on a computer within the box. Do you realize that we live it in a box? Do you realize that when you go to work, you drive in a box or you take the box to get to work? And we also work in a box. Do you realize when we fly to a country, you're flying in a plane, you are in a box to get to the airport which is a box, and then you go to the hotel. So my point to you here is everything goes great until there's a problem.
And when there's a problem, we still only think inside the box. So the problem if you're upset or you're having a bad day or you can't get out of a rut, if you stay in that box and you overanalyze and you keep on doing it and being repetitive, you're never going to get out of that rut. So the problem is we need to start thinking outside the box. And why? Because you need a different perspective to solve that problem. I use this principle with my TEDx talk with companies and I do the presentation for universities for the high schools, and I'll tell you why. A month ago I did a presentation for 16 teenagers between 14 and 18 and they all had an anxiety disorder.
So the teacher says to me, "Just understand that these kids won't talk to you because they're so anxious." And I said, "You know what, don't worry about it." So I go do my presentation and I started talking about what is the hardest things I got to deal with and what are their dreams? And then I said, "Just so you know, my daughter has Asperger syndrome." If you know what Asperger syndrome, it's an anxiety disorder. So needless to say all these 16 kids started opening up. So we started talking and the teacher looks at me, she says, "I can't believe it. I've been doing this for five years. I've never seen this kind of interaction." So my message to the audience, the message to you guys is I was able to get into all those girls who have an anxiety disorder because they are only focused inside the box. I also educating them how to think outside the box. Needless to say all those 16 girls, I've gotten emails and emails from the teachers, they've changed your life because I taught them how to think outside the box.
We're not taught that in school. We're not taught that in business. We're not taught that in sports, in self psychology. But it needs to come out. So that's my message to the people who are struggling who want to get out of the ruts. We have to start thinking outside the box.
Jerry Nelson:
Well, and again, Kevin, very inspirational in the fact that you can help and be a catalyst for and to those people who need a little help to get outside of the box and begin to think out there. So I get what you're saying totally. And very inspirational. I can see why you're in demand for speaking presentation and advocacy presentations all over. Let's move on, talk a little more golf. Darren, you had a question?
Darren Duma:
Well, yes, speaking of being inspirational and all that, what's your best score in golf?
Kevin Frost:
So my best score would on my own with my regular crew, 84 and on tournament would be 87. So I'm trying to hover under 90 this year. But again, you know how golf is sometimes when you think you got it and then you kind of go back two steps. So needless to say, if I could get into the eighties, it would be very respectful for me to be on par. But if I hover around 90, I'll have to deal with that and tweak some things. The old saying in golf, two-putt wins your tournaments.
Darren Duma:
And have you had a hole-in-one yet?
Kevin Frost:
No, I was six inches away from a hole-in-one. So I would love to experience that. But you know what? Whether it happens or not, it's just being out there and enjoying the game. And of course, golf can get frustrating. Trust me, I get frustrated sometimes too because I just shake my head, if I were to just golf this way when I was at my home course I'd be shooting that. But that's not reality.
Darren Duma:
That's a world of frustrated golfers out there.
Kevin Frost:
Oh, yeah.
Jerry Nelson:
Guys, isn't it interesting the difference between six inches and six feet, you hit it to six feet on a par three or an approach shot and you think that's a great shot and you hit it to six inches. You don't think how great a shot it is. You're thinking right away that I'll be back tomorrow, I'm coming back because if I can get that close, I can put that God damn ball rate in that hole and it really keeps a guy coming back doesn't it?
Kevin Frost:
100%. 100%. I had my last few games, I have Nigel, who's my other blind caddy and I never get to experience it, but I had a 70 and 80 and a 90 shot that went right in. Never got to hear it or see it, but I got to watch their reactions.
Jerry Nelson:
Wow, that's fantastic. Kev, you said you've been playing Blind Golf, what, seven years now?
Kevin Frost:
I'll be on my seventh year. So sixth year.
Jerry Nelson:
On your seventh year. Over the past six years, how has your game held up over those six years and how has it progressed and changed through those six years?
Kevin Frost:
I find at the beginning just getting the feel of learning the distance, learning your club and then finding a guide that you can trust. And now I have Loretta, who is my guide most of the time, but I also have personal guides at home, but also learning the different kind of clubs that I can use to help a golf tech. And I think just trying to tweak some things to make my game a little bit better on the fairway and trying to try new techniques on the putting to help try and get the two putts is probably where I'm going to get my biggest game because I could never see the slope. So that's the reality in my sport. So I just have to learn to trust my guide and hopefully Loretta or Nigel or Glen or Fred can read the green better for me and that's all they can do at this time to improve my game.
I know there's a lot more things that I could do to get the ball further, but what I'm realizing is the harder I try, the more it goes where I don't want it to go. So needless to say, I think sometimes when you have a par five, if I can get there in three that I'm happy with that. But that happened maybe 50% of the time. If I could get that up to 75, I think that'll improve my longer game.
Darren Duma:
Yeah. So what would you say your strongest part of your game is? Sounds like the putting.
Kevin Frost:
And actually I'm going to say my 100 game in is my strongest, I'm going to say it's my strongest game and I'm hoping that I can get my driving a little more like within five degrees to the right or left this year. And if I can improve that, I think it'll help get me into the eighties.
Jerry Nelson:
Kev, when you look at a typical golf season and where do you typically play and practice? And by that I mean do you go to the range so many times a week? Do you play so many holes in a week? What are your practice and playing habits?
Kevin Frost:
Very fortunate because two kilometres, I have a golf, it's only a three par nine-hole, but they have a beautiful practice sand shot, putting and driving range, so I can go there pretty well, unlimited. But I practically do two to three, two for sure, but sometimes three games a week. I have a Monday group and then I have a Wednesday group. And then if I can get an extra one because at the end of the day I have to go when the guide's available. Because I could go hit the ball and I'll be looking for the ball forever.
So it's really funny, I'm up on the green and Loretta said the ball's right there and I'm trying to look at my tunnel vision. I don't see it. So sometimes she's got to come and just kind of point right at it or put her foot right beside the ball just or sometimes when you're driving up, sometimes when you're driving up with the ball, I see the ball when I go up and I go get my club and I go back, I go, where's the ball? It's in the same spot but I can't see it. Just something like that.
Jerry Nelson:
Do you enjoy practicing?
Kevin Frost:
I do.
Jerry Nelson:
Guys, I know we got to wrap up soon here. You're both going to the World Championships in Cape Town, South Africa in March. Kevin, have you ever been to a world championships before?
Kevin Frost:
Not in the Blind Golf, no. This will be a first and I'll definitely be open-minded and just go there to enjoy and try to be simple.
Jerry Nelson:
It's going to be a trip of a lifetime, no doubt. I am sure. Guys, we're going to wrap up quickly here. And Kevin, how we usually wrap up is with some just simple, fun rapid-fire questions I'll ask you and you just blurt out the first answer that you think of, okay?
Kevin Frost:
Okay.
Jerry Nelson:
Favourite club in your bag?
Kevin Frost:
Putter.
Jerry Nelson:
What brand of clubs do you play?
Kevin Frost:
Cobra. Puma.
Jerry Nelson:
Favourite course you've ever played?
Kevin Frost:
Probably Eagle Creek in Ottawa.
Jerry Nelson:
Favourite country you've been to play Blind Golf` in
Kevin Frost:
At this point it'd probably be USA?
Jerry Nelson:
Favourite pro golfer?
Kevin Frost:
Tiger Woods
Jerry Nelson:
Sens or Leafs?
Kevin Frost:
Sens all the way.
Jerry Nelson:
Okay, good man. Favourite restaurant meal?
Kevin Frost:
I'm going to go with a place I go to Tyros. They're very good to me. They never charge me, so I just go there all the time.
Jerry Nelson:
Awesome. Kev, you've been great. Thank you so much for coming on. Tell us quickly, how can people get your book?
Kevin Frost:
Yeah, so if people want to reach out, it's on Amazon, so you just Google Deaf/Blind Champion, it'll come up, you can get the paperback in ebook and I'm in the process of trying to get the audiobook. It's taking a little bit longer. So again, you can go to Amazon, just Google Deaf/Blind Champion, or you can go to my web website. It's www.DeafBlindspeedskater.com, www.deafblindspeedskater.com. You get to know a little more about me. It gives more briefing, but again, Amazon is the best approach.
Jerry Nelson:
Kev, thanks so much for coming on. There's a lot of stuff that we didn't get to today. We hope you'd consider coming back at some point.
Kevin Frost:
There's a lot of ground, there's a lot of things I can talk about.
Jerry Nelson:
We would love to have you back. So on that note, Darren, why don't you mention and thank our sponsors before we get on out of here.
Darren Duma:
Oh, thank you Jerry. I would like to thank AMI and of course, Mark and Ryan that are on today. And also CNIB Foundation, Canadian Council of the Blind, and our Lions Clubs across Canada. And last but not least, ISPS Handa. Thank you very much.
Jerry Nelson:
And thank you everybody for listening. And remember at Blind Golf Canada, you can still play. Thanks, everybody and we'll see you next time.
Kevin Frost:
Take care, everybody. Every day's a good day.
Speaker 1:
This has been The Blind Golf Canada podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on YouTube and your favourite podcast platforms. Thanks for tuning in.
