So long, coach
By Craig Westcott
Iconic CBS sports figure remembered as a friend and gentleman to generations of athletes
Norm Simpson, Conception Bay South’s version of Mr. Hockey, passed away last week at the age of 87.
Known for his gentle, encouraging manner and enthusiasm for all things sports, Simpson played hockey in the old CBS senior hockey league as a youth before CBS was even an incorporated town and the community rivalries were fierce, at least on the ice, and went on to coach several generations of hockey players.
He was also involved in softball, baseball and a host of other sports.
“Norm Simpson is an iconic figure in Conception Bay South,” said his long-time friend and fellow hockey coach and organizer, Paul Connors. “Our family first met Norm and the Simpson family back in the Holy Spirit days and playing out at St. Bon’s and Prince of Wales and we’ve been friends ever since. His whole life was devoted to contributing to make CBS better in his own unique way. He was either coaching minor hockey, or on the executive of minor hockey, or with the Sports Hall of Fame and he kept that organization going. He’s just an overall nice guy who always had a smile on his face when you were talking to him and always made time to say hello to everybody. He always wanted to have a chat with you.”
For those he coached, Simpson will always be remembered as a fabulous skating coach. In addition to his encouragement on the bench during the regular season, he was for many years the coach who led the pre-season skating sessions to work everyone into shape.
“When I was young, Norm Simpson was probably one of the best skaters that I saw,” said Connors. “When he was out on the ice as a coach he could certainly fly around the rink… He’s iconic, that’s the word I’ve been using when people mention him to me today.”
In his later years, well into his 80s, Simpson served as the honourary coach of the Holy Spirit alumni team in the annual Winterfest contest against the alumni from Queen Elizabeth High. It was a role he cherished, right down to filling out the roster on the game sheet.
“He was there every time with his (1970s) Holy Spirit jacket on,” said Connors. “He was on the bench even with the younger players that he hadn’t coached and be as proud as anything to be part of the Holy Spirit Minor Hockey Association.”
That’s also how Arnold Kelly, an all-star hockey player in CBS in his youth and more recently the longest serving chairman of provincial Minor Hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador, remembers Simpson.
“For me, he was one of the pioneers for Holy Spirit School Minor Hockey,” said Kelly. “He was with that founding group, and he was close friends with my father (Gerry Kelly). They coached together and organized together and without having fellows like Norm Simpson and that group of people, we wouldn’t have had the hockey programs that we had. But I knew Norm personally because his family were friends with Mom (Angela Kelly) and Dad and I got to experience Norm growing up and he was always a great volunteer and a great coach and a kind person. He was always good to me, and he was always fun to be around.”
Like Connors, Kelly well remembers Simpson breezily leading his young charges through their crossovers and stops and starts come the start of hockey season.
“He was a great skater,” said Kelly. “He coached us all… There’s nothing too good that you can say about Norm. He will certainly be missed.”
Simpson leaves to mourn his wife Belle, and children Gail, Glen and Scott and their families, including grandson Aiden, at whose games the proud grandfather was a constant fixture.