Bob Thompson

Bob Thompson was born in 1951 in Pointe Claire, Quebec, and has been involved in sports from a very early age. He played his first football game at age eight. In 1986 he moved to Leduc with his wife Marian and their two children. Upon discovering that there was no football in the community, he banded together with a few others and organized Leduc’s first bantam team. Thus the Leduc and District Minor Football Association was born.

Bob worked tirelessly over the years to keep the association flourishing. They expanded to include atom and peewee teams in their second year and haven’t looked back, now with 185 registrations and still growing. Fundraising, coaching and board meetings became mainstays in Bob’s life. He was named Football Alberta Coach of the Year in 1991.

In 1995, the City of Leduc decided to demolish the Alexandra Outdoor Pool due to budget cuts. Bob promptly put an ad in the Leduc Representative, and he and three others formed the Friends of the Alexandra Pool Society. They took over the pool and operated it for the next 19 years, raising funds, applying for grants and hiring staff each season.

Bob also volunteered for every activity his kids were in, on top of serving two terms as city councillor. He is most proud of his contributions to football, saving the outdoor pool, and of his family. The Leduc Cats are now a community staple; the pool is a summer hub of activity. Bob is still involved in football – currently coaching his grandson’s team.