John French
| John French | |
|---|---|
| Died | 1983 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | by 1949–1983 |
John French was a sports builder and curling coach who spent over three decades developing athletic opportunities for youth in Northwestern Ontario. John French was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 as a builder.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
John French was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 17 September 1988 in the builder category for curling.[1]
Career and service
John French moved to Fort William in the late 1940s and immediately began contributing to the local athletic scene. At his business premises on Syndicate Avenue, he constructed an outdoor rink to provide a venue for neighborhood children to engage in winter sports. This initiative marked the beginning of more than 35 years of service dedicated to the promotion of athletics in Northwestern Ontario.[1]
As a competitive curler, French participated in the sport for nearly 30 years. His primary impact, however, was as an organizer and mentor. He focused heavily on Schoolboy's Curling, serving as a coach for youth teams. In 1971, he coached the Fort William Collegiate rink skipped by Doug Smith to victory in both the Northwestern Ontario and Northern Ontario Schoolboy Championships. The team, which included Tom Wiegand, Warren Buttars, and Rick Lang, subsequently earned a silver medal at the Canadian Schoolboy's Championships in Kamloops, British Columbia. French is credited with mentoring future world champions such as Rick Lang and Bob Nicol.[1]
In 1971, French was a founding organizer of the Grand Prix of Curling held at the Port Arthur Curling Club. He remained active with the event until his death. His community involvement also included significant financial and volunteer support for the Jeux Canada Games hosted in Thunder Bay in 1981. Through the Airlane Motor Hotel, he helped generate $10,000 in funding for the national multi-sport event.[1]
French received several honors for his lifelong commitment to Northwestern Ontario sports. He was recognized as the Man of the Year at the Grand Prix of Curling in 1982. Following his passing in 1983, the City of Thunder Bay granted him a Posthumous Citizen's Award. His legacy is maintained through the John French Memorial Award, established in 1983 for the Heart to Heart Bonspiel, and a Northwestern Ontario Curling Association Mixed Curling trophy dedicated in his memory in 1984.[1]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (by 1949–1983) rests on the following dated evidence. Arrived in Fort William in the late 1940s and remained active in the local curling and business community until his death in 1983.[1]
Honours and achievements
- Coached the Doug Smith Rink to Northwestern Ontario and Northern Ontario Schoolboy Championship titles in 1971
- Coached the 1971 national silver medalists at the Canadian Schoolboy's Championships
- Helped establish the Grand Prix of Curling at the Port Arthur Curling Club in 1971
- Raised $10,000 for the 1981 Jeux Canada Games through the Airlane Motor Hotel
- Named Man of the Year at the Grand Prix of Curling in 1982
- Received the Posthumous Citizen's Award from the City of Thunder Bay in 1983[1]
- Possibly the same as John E. French (died 1983); the name matches, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
- Possibly the same as John French (fl. 1983); the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "John French", builder profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/builder-profile/6440a38f-5dd8-484e-84d7-34c99a7483ea (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.