Veteran Calgary Stampeders equipment manager Hopkins approaching CFL milestone

Gamers and coaches may win championships however Dave Dickenson believes it’s folks like George Hopkins who’re the glue that binds a soccer staff.

Hopkins is the Calgary Stampeders’ veteran gear supervisor in his 51st yr with the CFL membership. He’ll seem in his 1,000th profession regular-season sport Friday when the Stamps go to the Ottawa Redblacks.

Hopkins has been part of six of Calgary’s eight Gray Cups wins. In 2014, he was added to the membership’s Wall of Fame as a builder.

“To me, there are positions which can be the glue of a company,” stated Dickenson, the Stampeders head coach. “You’ve obtained your gear supervisor, your head athletic therapist and your video coordinator and people three positions preserve everybody within the group clicking.”

The Stampeders have actually been blessed in these three positions.

Ross Folan, Calgary’s director of video operations, is in his thirtieth season with the membership. Pat Clayton retired because the membership’s director of medical companies in 2013 after 29 years.

“In every single place I’ve been, the gear guys, they form of run the present. The blokes respect them they usually know they should have the gear supervisor on their facet,” Dickenson stated.

Dickenson additionally has an extended historical past with the Stampeders. He served as a quarterback for 5 seasons (1997-2000, ‘08) earlier than beginning his teaching profession with the membership as an assistant in 2009. He grew to become head coach in 2016.

“I got here into the league within the mid-’90s and clearly Geo had been right here for greater than some time,” Dickenson stated. “Once I heard 1,000, I actually didn’t consider it.

“It’s simply loopy to assume he began out at age 12. Aren’t there some baby labour legal guidelines in opposition to that?”

Hopkins, a 63-year-old Calgary native, started his tenure with the Stampeders as a ball boy. However even he admits he’s misplaced observe of time.

“It form of snuck up on me a bit,” Hopkins stated with a chuckle. “I feel greater than something, it’s loving what you do.”

Hopkins took over as gear supervisor shortly after the late George (Dundee) Dunn retired in 1977.

Hopkins has witnessed firsthand the evolution of soccer gear from being massive and hulking and one measurement matches all to lighter and extra athlete-specific.

“Every little thing was greater, heavier and smelled actually unhealthy after the primary week you wore it,” Hopkins stated. “Quick-forward to the place we are actually, I imply, hockey shoulder pads are greater than soccer shoulder pads for some guys.”

Hopkins is beneficiant along with his time, offering steerage and information about gear to Alberta excessive colleges and minor applications.

“For us, he’s been an absolute godsend,” stated Soccer Alberta govt director Tim Enger. “He’s actively concerned in ensuring our youngsters are getting protected gear and the folks dealing with the gear are getting a good quantity of coaching to know what they’re doing.”

Hopkins has missed simply three regular-season contests throughout his tenure and none since 2012 when surgical procedure for a torn rotator cuff pressured him to skip a two-game Japanese street journey.

The opposite got here in 1992 when Hopkins’ spouse, Cathy, gave start to their first baby, daughter Jorde. The Hopkins even have a son, Hunter, and grandson, Malcolm.

Then once more, continuity has lengthy been a staple of the Stampeders’ group.

Like Dickenson, president/GM John Hufnagel performed quarterback for Calgary and served as an assistant and head coach earlier than assuming common supervisor’s duties in ‘08 and turning into president in 2016.

“It’s humorous as a result of each of these guys I had as gamers and in order that tells you one thing,” Hopkins stated. “We’ve that expectation we’re going to do effectively, we’re going to win however most significantly we’re going to do it with class.

“I prefer to assume I’ve made just a few guys within the locker room conscious of what the Stampeder method is.”

A reality not misplaced upon quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, a Stampeder since 2012 and in his eighth season because the starter.

“If you happen to go into the coach’s workplace we’ve got staff footage from years again and you’ll see the development of Dave and Huf,” Mitchell stated. “However in each a kind of footage is George and it’s form of cool to see his development.

“He’s a kind of guys who’s constant, he doesn’t change who he’s … he’s Geo Hopkins it doesn’t matter what and that’s one of many issues I like about him.”

Mitchell stated Hopkins actually has the respect of Stampeders gamers.

“If he says, ‘Hey, this can be a shirt you are able to do no matter you wish to it, however this shirt right here you don’t lower, you don’t take it house. It stays in your locker always.’ Guys respect that,” Mitchell stated. “Guys perceive Geo has his methods and in case you go in opposition to that, it’s not like there are super-bad penalties however there are penalties.”

One fixed with Hopkins is his penchant for carrying shorts, whatever the climate.

“I’ve by no means been a fan of pants,” Hopkins stated. “It’s not that massive of a deal within the winter since you go away the home and step into your automobile within the storage, then drive to work … You could be exterior for 38 seconds to come back into the constructing.”

Hopkins believes the sight of him carrying shorts in the course of the late fall/early winter might present gamers with inspiration to do the identical.

“I feel it does, particularly together with your younger guys coming in who’ve by no means actually seen snow,” he stated. “I’ve all the time informed guys once they are available in for lengthy underwear, ‘I’ll offer you lengthy underwear if you see me carrying pants.’ That’s my September reply.

“Now, when it will get chilly, by all means, we’ve obtained some unbelievable cold-weather gear that we give them. However it does harden them up somewhat bit as a result of if that little bastard over there may be going to stroll round in shorts, then possibly it’s not that chilly exterior.”

Mitchell stated Hopkins has an excellent understanding about when to be all enterprise, but additionally when somewhat levity is required.

“Once I’m possibly having a few unhealthy drives, he’s the man who’ll come up and say, ‘Right here, drink a few of this water. I modified it out for you since you want some completely different water,’’’ Mitchell stated. ”He form of distracts you in a great way. He brings up one thing utterly random that has nothing to do with it however is aware of you may want somewhat push or one thing like that.

“I do know he’s small (in stature) however I’d say Geo is a huge by way of his presence and character … That man loves this sport, he has devoted his complete life to it and it rubs off on us, that’s for certain.”

And in 1978, the Stampeders actually benefited from Hopkins’ generosity throughout a street journey in Montreal. Two days earlier than the sport, Hopkins was at Olympic Stadium anticipating the arrival of the gear truck.

Hassle was, behind that truck was a 400-pound cargo of contemporary lobster.

“I don’t know the place my gear is, it takes me a day and a half to seek out it, it’s truly in Newfoundland,” Hopkins stated. “So we did the one factor we thought we must always do.

“We rerouted the truck to the staff lodge and dined on contemporary lobster that evening and I saved my fingers crossed we had been going to see the gear in time for sport day. It did present up at 2 p.m. on the day of the sport so it was one of many quickest setups we’ve ever had, however we did eat very effectively on Air Canada.”

Hopkins stated he has no intention of slowing down any time quickly.

“Fortunately I’ve been fairly wholesome through the years,” he stated. “I did form of assume the day after I hit the 50-season mark I’d love to do 55.

“That’s form of the plan, that I wish to do 55 after which form of graciously journey off and possibly dangle round somewhat bit and be on the sidelines watching a sport, not working it. That’s form of what I’m .”

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With recordsdata from Donna Spencer in Calgary

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Aug. 4, 2022.

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