Billy Moores inducted into Canada West Hall of Fame

Jan. 29, 2025 - One of the greatest coaches in University of Alberta history has been enshrined with an induction into the Canada West Hall of Fame.

The Alberta Golden Bears are celebrating the legacy of legendary coach Billy Moores, who was named a member of the Canada West Hall of Fame's Class of 2024-25 earlier in the fall. The honour recognizes his long-lasting impact and success with the Bears men's hockey program.

He was a member of the team's coaching staff from 1976 to 1994, including seven years as head coach. In those seven seasons he guided the team to a 220-80-23 overall record, including an incredible .720 win percentage in conference play. He was named Canada West Men's Hockey Coach of the Year on four occasions, and the CIAU Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1991.

He led the team to five CIAU national championship tournaments and to University Cup victories in 1980 and 1992. His teams also won five Canada West Conference titles and never finished lower than second place.

Canada West unveiled its entire Hall of Fame Class of 2024-25 earlier in September. Individual inductee spotlights will continue throughout the season.

Fans can view all previous Hall of Fame inductees on the Canada West Hall of Fame website.

Billy Moores - Coach Category

The name Billy Moores is synonymous with University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey.

He was a talented player while starring for the Golden Bears in 1971-72, a season during which he lead the Canada West in scoring and the Bears to a league-winning record of 18-2. The Bears finished that season with a record of 30-5-1 (.847) and third place in the CIAU championship tournament.

While Billy was known as an outstanding athlete, it is as a builder of sport that he left his greatest legacy. Bill Moores ranks as one of the greatest coaches in University of Alberta history. From 1976 to 1994, Moores was an outstanding member of the coaching staff of the Golden Bears men's hockey team - for ten of these years he was an assistant coach and for seven, head coach. He was first named as head coach during the 1979-80 season when Clare Drake was called to serve as the head coach of the Canadian Olympic team. He assumed head coaching duties again in 1983-84 and later replaced Coach Drake as the team's head coach in 1989, serving in that capacity until 1994.

In his seven seasons as the Golden Bears' head coach, the team's overall record was 220-80-23. His record in Canada West conference play was 129-44-20, sporting an incredible .720 win percentage. He was named Canada West Hockey Coach of the Year on four occasions - 1984, 1990, 1991, 1993 - and the CIAU Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1991.

During his years as the head coach of the Bears, Bill lead them to five CIAU national championship tournaments and to University Cup victories in 1980 and 1992. His teams won five Canada West Conference titles and never finished lower than second place.

While winning championships was an important goal, it was never Bill's main goal. His "ultimate goal" was to cultivate the whole person and he used sport as the vehicle to do this. His greatest efforts were aimed at helping each player meet their potential as a human being while preparing his athletes for their future in any walk of life.

ABOUT THE CANADA WEST HALL OF FAME

For the last century, organized university sport has been a central part of the student experience at institutions across Western Canada. Beginning with the University of Manitoba capturing the first Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WCIAU) men's hockey banner in 1919-20, student-athletes have been competing to reach their full potential in sport and the classroom, while enriching campus life. 

To commemorate 100 years of university sport across Western Canada, the Canada West Hall of Fame was created in the spring of 2019. This year's induction class will be unveiled throughout the 2023-24 season.