Former Manitoba star curler coaching Nunavut women’s squad

Colin Hodgson still gets to participate in elite curling competitions these days, but instead of playing, Hodgson, a Red River Métis, now concentrates on coaching.

As a player, Hodgson, a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation, competed six times at the Brier, the national men’s curling championship. His last Brier appearance was in 2023.

For the past two years, however, Hodgson has coached a Nunavut team that represents the Iqaluit Curling Club.

The Nunavut rink, skipped by Julia Weagle, recently competed at its second consecutive Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women’s tournament that concluded Feb. 1.

The Hodgson-coached squad registered one victory in its eight round-robin matches at this year’s nationals, held at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont.

That was a bit of an improvement from a year ago when the Nunavut club failed to pick up a win in round-robin games. That 2025 Scotties tourney was held in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Hodgson told Windspeaker.com how he started coaching Weagle’s team.

“Julia and I have been friends for a very long time,” he said, adding they often attended the same curling competitions.  “And when the opportunity came to see if I could support the team, she reached out.”

Hodgson, who is now 35, said he had not seriously thought about becoming a coach in the sport.

“It was a great opportunity,” he said. “I wasn't even certain if I was going to be coaching. And it was something that I immediately wanted to say yes to work with this team.”

Hodgson has had to make a lot of adjustments now that he is coaching instead of playing.

“It's very different trying to learn your way as a coach, what makes people tick and what doesn't make people tick,” he said. “It's obviously very difficult coming from being a high- intensity player in the men's game. It's a different vibe. It's a different way to look at the game and how to be in a support role. It's not easy for a former player who really wanted to get in there and be sweeping the rocks and being able to control things.”

Though his new role provided challenges, it’s now one he relishes.

“Stepping back is very difficult,” he said. “But when you see the positive change and the things happening for the team to get a little bit better incrementally, it feels very satisfying at the end of the day when you notice those little things.”

Getting Weagle’s team together to practice can be difficult. That’s because Weagle and the team’s third Sadie Pinksen live in Ottawa. Lead Alison Taylor and second Leigh Gustafson live in Iqaluit.

Hodgson’s current home is in the northern Ontario town of Red Lake.

“We're kind of at three different points all over the country,” he said. “But living in the North, you're used to travel. You have to do it.”

When schedules permit, Weagle’s team members train together in the nation’s capital. Hodgson hopes the club will have opportunities to train as a group in Nunavut.

“Hopefully we can spend more time in the North and get back up to Iqaluit and do a little training there in the future,” he said.

Nunavut made its Scotties debut in 2016. Squads from the territory have not had much success at the nationals, winning just five of its 65 matches, including Weagle’s lone W this year.

But Hodgson believes it’s vital to have Nunavut teams continue competing at the Canadian championships.

 “I think it's imperative that there is representation here and there's something to strive for or something for the youth to have a future in the sport,” he said. 

“To have an opportunity to showcase what the North can do and to continuously get better and to win games on the national stage, I think it means everything,” Hodgson said.

“(The) territories need spots. The North needs spots, so we can continue to grow the game.” Plus, he believes the territory is a welcome addition at the Scotties.

“I think the North brings a lot to the national championships,” he said. “We've got very passionate fans. We had a huge cheering section (at the Scotties)… I think there was really a great showcase of camaraderie with other teams and cheering for good shots. And it was just a really, really nice experience. And I think this event is better if we're in it.”

Hodgson praised Weagle’s entry.

“The team did really well,” he said. “I had a lot of great comments from some great coaches of other teams in the locker room that they're noticing change and they're really impressed. We held on with some of the best teams in the country.”

Hodgson is confident Weagle’s squad, or any others from Nunavut, can be successful at future Scotties.

“You can be great if you want to be great,” he said. “If you want to put the time and effort in, it doesn't matter where you live. It matters what you know and how hard you work and how well you work together.”