Among the most renowned athletes to hail from Ontario’s Bay of Quinte region, Jackie Jarrell set an admired gold standard in a world class career. Having made the highly visceral decision to retire from inline hockey, regarded as a fixture on Canada’s national team, the transition into a compelling full-time career as entrepreneur and trainer brings a new set of exciting opportunities and rewards.
Currently serving as the Director of Fitness for NHL Officiating, Jarrell’s sporting resume also includes 10 podium finishes in 12 FIRS (now integrated into World Skate) World Championship events. Perhaps the greatest legacy of such exceptional achievement is the empowering foundation established for future generations of local female athletes to build upon.
Locally, a key highlight for Jarrell included the honour of the Robinson Kelleher Award in 2013, in recognition of Belleville’s Athlete of the Year. Finding her niche in the community as founder and proprietor of GOLD Performance Training (GPT), Jarrell’s assiduous approach to training and mentoring serves as an endless source of inspiration.
Approaching its tenth anniversary, GPT has trained hundreds of athletes, male and female, propelling them into a positive direction to pursue their own dreams. As the number of success stories increases annually, Jarrell brings high energy and positive influence that make her an admired role model.
That feeling of having such an important impact in the community goes both ways. Merely a few days following her retirement announcement, Jarrell enjoyed another hometown nod, enhancing the theme of gratitude. The opening of local restaurant Shoeless Joe’s Homestead recognized her with a photograph on their wall, part of an admirable tribute honoring homegrown athletes. With her parents, also her biggest fans by her side for the unveiling, the event resulted in a feeling of full circle.
“It was such a huge honour to be included in their new restaurant. It has always been important to me to inspire the next generation of athletes to do great things!”
The path to becoming such a remarkable sports icon involved the presence of several inspiring figures for Jarrell. Among them, a group of medical professionals proved critical in a career crossroads. Prior to building a tremendous body of work as an inline athlete, Jarrell took stick to ice as a member of the NCAA’s Mercyhurst Lakers.
Derailed by a concussion during the 2004-05 season, Jarrell was sidelined for all of 2005-06. Pivotal in the recovery involved the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, their efforts allowed Jarrell the opportunity to compose the next chapter of her Lakers career. Returning in the autumn of 2006, Jarrell enjoyed another 53 appearances over two seasons. Paying it forward with a Concussion Rehabilitation Program at GPT, the important initiative stands as a tribute to those who helped her, exemplifying a remarkable character.
“During my time in hockey, I have been so fortunate to have met so many incredible coaches, teammates and friends along the way. During my sophomore year at Mercyhurst University, I was sidelined with a concussion for a year and a half. Doctors doubted if I would ever play hockey again.
If it was not for the incredible team of doctors I worked with at the “world renowned” University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, as well as Dr. Tammy Kordes and Nanette Crawford, I would not have been able to play hockey again. I am truly grateful they were able to get me healthy and back playing!”
Grateful for the opportunity to play again, Jarrell returned with a renewed focus, fully appreciating the moment. Becoming one of inline hockey’s Canadian greats, this glorious chapter brought fulfillment. Capturing the gold twice (2012, 2016), along with six silver and a pair of bronze, the medal haul propelled Jarrell into legendary status. With Argentina serving as host country for the 2022 Worlds, the event represented Jarrell’s swan song in the Maple Leaf.
Despite the absence of a golden finish, the event held much greater context for Jarrell. Wearing the Canadian jersey one more time encompassed tribute. Donna Forbes, a coach and executive with Canada’s inline team also served as its heartbeat. A role model for so many that wore the Canadian jersey, she held faith that Jarrell could bounce back from her concussion woes and become a key asset for the national team.
“My favourite coach playing for Canada was Donna Forbes. She always believed in me and challenged me to be the best player I could be. I have so much respect for her and the amount of work she did for our teams over the years.”
Although retiring is a highly difficult inevitability for any athlete, Jarrell always possessed motivation. Refusing to descend into despair by the closing of one chapter, the dual achievement as entrepreneur and trainer represented more than a successful transition.
Serving as the extension of a continued desire to succeed, the pinnacle of such efforts sees Jarrell in the grandest stage of the game, With an exciting role as the Director of Fitness and Training with NHL Officiating, Jarrell designs fitness programs for on and off ice conditioning.
Also working with the league’s medical team to address injuries suffered by officials, Jarrell first worked with the league in a consulting role during the 2022-23 season. Worth noting, Jarrell also organized the Ontario Hockey League’s Officiating Training Combine when Belleville served as host in summer 2022.
Earlier this season, Jarrell experienced a proud moment at one of the league’s signature events. Hailing from Port Perry, approximately 150 km west of Belleville, AHL official Kirsten Welsh graced NHL ice at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. Garbed in the zebra stripes for the PWHL 3-on-3 Showcase, part of NHL All-Star Thursday on February 1, Welsh was joined by three other female officials, including Elizabeth Mantha, Samantha Hiller and Alexandra Clarke.
“It definitely is really tough to say good-bye to hockey as an athlete. Yet, I am very fortunate to still be involved in the game. It was always my goal to make it to the NHL and I am very much excited for the next chapter. Although I think I could have played for another year or two, I am so honoured to now be the Director of Fitness, Training NHL Officiating. This will now be my career focus along with operating my training facility, Gold Performance Training.”
Reflecting on a career spanning two decades, the recurring themes of gratitude and motivation rise to the surface. Belonging to a pioneering generation during the 2000s that proved women deserved a place in NCAA hockey, it served as prologue to a lasting legacy. Helping to establish an identity of high quality for the Canadian inline program, Jarrell always brought tremendous sincerity and enjoyment to the arena, traits that remain consistent as a highly influential trainer.
Certainly, the love of the game made Jarrell a role model and ideal teammate. As her inline era marked an incredible body of work, the majesty of the podium finishes was part of a much more compelling storyline. From the feeling of national pride to the friendships made, every facet of the Team Canada experience proved highly memorable.
“Honestly, I loved everything about wearing the Team Canada jersey. It is such an incredible honour to represent your country. It was amazing to travel the world seeing so many countries with some of my best friends playing the sport I love!
I loved the camaraderie with my teammates and how hard we worked to play at that level. Being a World Champion in 2012 in Colombia was a huge highlight, followed by another world championship four years later in Italy. I was lucky to have my parents in attendance in Colombia so it was really special to win in front of them.”
Through it all, the most consistent aspect of Jarrell’s sporting narrative involved her loving parents. Their collective presence in a golden outing at the 2012 FIRS World Championships proved a defining moment for Jarrell. Beginning with the encouragement of her mother, any preconceived notions about girls playing hockey was not to be feared, but overcome. Running parallel, her father’s leadership on the family farm instilled the values and work ethic upon which Jarrell achieved her athletic goals. Combining an indomitable spirit with a true authenticity have made Jarrell revered as a local treasure. While her influence and scope has stretched far beyond, everything circles back home, emphasizing the continued theme of gratitude in a truly remarkable career poised for further achievements.
“It means everything to have always had my parents support throughout my hockey career. I grew up in a time when being a female athlete was not accepted as it is today. My Mom was the one who signed me up for hockey my first year. She always wanted to make sure that I had every opportunity that my brothers did!
Growing up on my family dairy farm, RJ Farms taught me so many valuable life lessons which transferred to my life as an athlete and now as a professional. The importance of work ethic, commitment and perseverance.”
“All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise indicated”
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