You can’t think about the Calgary Stampeders organization without thinking about George Hopkins.
Known to most as Geo, the longtime equipment manager of the club is synonymous with Stampeders football, leaving his imprint on nearly every aspect of the game.
Next year, he will be recognized for his achievements when he enters the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, class of 2025.
“It’s definitely an honour,” said Hopkins. “I jokingly say you hang around long enough and they don’t know what else to do with you, so they just give you something.
“But it very much is an honour and it’s sweet that I’m going in with Dwayne (Mandrusiak, former equipment manager for Edmonton’s CFL franchise) because we met at the Grey Cup in 1975. I was in Grade 10, he was in Grade 11, we met at that point in time, and we’ve been friends ever since.
“He’s one of the closest people, I went up for his mom’s funeral. We respect each other, and it means a lot to go in with him.”
It’s no secret the life of equipment managers isn’t a glamourous one.
Late nights and early mornings.
Fitting each team member with a customized array of equipment designed to provide maximum protection and safety.
Placing stickers on helmets exactly right, washing the jerseys, preparing the footballs, ordering gloves, socks, armbands, headbands, cleats, eye black and more.
Working meticulously behind-the-scenes to ensure every player, coach and staff member is equipped to perform at the highest level. Even offering a Gatorade and a chair to the digital producer in 35-degree heat as she captures photos of the players’ arrivals on game day (Thank you, Geo!)
For Hopkins, who’s worked more than 1,000 games, it’s more than a job.
“You don’t get tired of the people; you don’t get tired of the situations,” he informed. “Somebody said a longtime ago you get a job that you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life and that’s very true.
“That being said, one of the first years that I was here we were 2-12-2 and that was a long year. This past year was a little tougher in that respect because nobody around here is used to losing or likes to lose, but you do (the job) because you love it. You certainly don’t do it for the recognition.”
Hopkins was the 2023 winner of the CFL’s Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award, which honours an individual who has demonstrated great leadership and made significant contributions to the CFL. He was added to the Stampeders Wall of Fame in the builders’ category in 2014.
Over the course of his career, he’s been part of six Grey Cup wins, but there’s one that sticks out amongst the others.
“There’s been a ton of great moments,” said Hopkins, “but honestly, it’s the 1992 Grey Cup, because it was the first Grey Cup that we won (since 1971), and I’d been working for 20 years before I ever went to my first one (1991) and we lost to the Argos which has become all too familiar of a story.
“But in 1992, first play of the game Doug Flutie rolls out and hits Derrick Crawford across the middle for about 45 yards. I turned to Patty Clayton who was the therapist at the time, and I said, ‘We might win this one’, and it was a cake walk.
“That’s the one that I do remember because it was my first Grey Cup, I remember all of them, but I remember that moment like it was yesterday.”
Like anything in life, sports come with joys and sorrows.
Hopkins worked through the Save Our Stamps campaign during the ’80s and the untimely death of Mylan Hicks in 2016.
“The Mylan Hicks death was so tragic. It turned out to be a unifying force for the team that year, but it was really outside the realm of anything you think is possible.
“The one nice thing about being in team sports and being surrounded by a group of individuals like we have here is that the stressful moments don’t last.”
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at the Red Deer Resort and Casino on Saturday, June 7.
“I’m hoping there’s not a game that day,” said Hopkins, who’s only missed three games in his 53-year career. “I’m optimistic that I will be in Red Deer on the 7th for the ceremony.”