Geo Hopkins to step down after 55 years with the Stampeders

CALGARY — George "Geo" Hopkins will step down as the Calgary Stampeders' equipment manager at the end of the season, closing a run with the club that began in 1972, when he was hired as a ball boy at 13 years old. He will remain with the organization as an ambassador.

"I'd like to thank the Stampeders organization for their trust and support throughout all the years," Hopkins said in a team release. "I've had the pleasure to work with so many great people, staff as well as players, and it wouldn't be fair to single out any and miss lots."

"I would like to thank my wife Cathy and my kids Jorde and Hunter for understanding all the absences. This is just the end of a chapter."

Hopkins has overseen the Stampeders' equipment operations since 1977 and has missed only five games in that time. Counting pre-season, regular-season, playoff and Grey Cup games, Saturday's game against the BC Lions at McMahon Stadium will be the 1,094th of his career. His work has centred on player safety, ordering, fitting and issuing equipment, along with equipment transportation and the locker room.

He has been part of six Grey Cup championships with Calgary: 1992, 1998, 2001, 2008, 2014 and 2018.

Hopkins received the Art Evans Memorial Award at the club's annual dinner in 1995, has been on the Stampeders' Wall of Fame as a builder since 2014, and won the CFL's Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award in 2023. A Calgary native and Mount Royal College alumnus, he also coordinates an off-season equipment inspection program for amateur football in Alberta and serves as vice president of the Calgary Spring Football Association board.

"Geo has been an important part of the Calgary Stampeders family, and his contributions extend far beyond his role as equipment manager," team president Jay McNeil said in the release. "We thank George for his years of dedication and wish him all the best in this next chapter."

"I started my career in Calgary with Geo and Pat Clayton, two pillars of Stampeder football, who will always be linked but uniquely special," said general manager and head coach Dave Dickenson. "We are pleased that he will be remaining with the team in another capacity."