Gordon Hooey

Since the 1950s, 83-year-old Gordon Hooey has been a fixture on British Columbia’s curling scene and has had a impact on the lives of countless championship junior and adult curlers. His wide-reaching influence includes developing innovative coaching techniques that are staples in the way the sport is coached today.
Among his innovations are the two-gripper sweeping technique, the plumb line as a built-in part of video analysis and on-ice television playback.
Born in Eyebrow, Saskatchewan, Hooey has earned three 3M Coach of the Year awards. He has honorary life memberships in numerous B.C. curling organizations and was inducted into the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
The sport of curling has benefited from the generosity, insight, determination and passion of this extraordinary individual. (CCHoF)
Gordon Hooey practically invented the term “curling coach” and he was no slouch as a player, winning his share of bonspiels and club championships at both the Esquimalt and Victoria Curling Clubs. As a member of the Victoria Club team he won four consecutive senior titles and highlighted his playing career as a member of Gordie Moore’s rink that won the B.C. seniors crown twice and was runner-up in the 1971 senior nationals. Revolutionary for his time, Gordon became involved in teaching young people the finer points of curling. Over the past 40 years he guided youngsters to junior zone, provincial and national championships. High points included coaching Georgina Hawkes’ rink to the 1985 Canadian junior women’s title and Mike Woods’ rink to the 1988 Canadian junior men’s title and silver medal at the World championships. Gordon was also a key in tutoring Pat Sanders’ Victoria rink that won the 1987 Ladies World championship. Gordon was named BC Curling Coach of the Year twice, Curl Canada Coach of the Year once and is a two-time winner of the 3M National Coaching Award, arguably the highest coaching honour in Canada.