Bill Carey honoured his father’s memory with a trophy on what would have been Pa George’s 97th birthday.
The Okotoks billiards community came together like never before with a record 126 sponsors, along with 56 competitors at four venues with $5,750 raised for the Okotoks Food Bank at the 10th anniversary of the George Carey Memorial 9-Ball Tournament.
“I won it the very first year,” said Bill, the event organizer. “I just said to my family and especially my boys, because Joel my oldest son has won it twice, the only person to do it back-to-back, that this year I’m winning this one for Pa George.
“It’s one of those emotional things when you get this many people together.”
The tournament launched in 2014 to pay tribute to George Carey, a legend in the 8-ball community, who taught the game to multiple generations in his family and anyone around the game in the Okotoks area.
George passed away in 2023 with the last two years of the tournament now a memorial in his honour.
“It’s kind of incredible to see the legacy of grandpa and see how many people’s lives he touched,” said Garth Carey, George’s grandson. “He taught all of us from a young age at the pool table.
“I always had the problem of hitting the ball too hard, he always referred to me as a bull in a China shop.”
Brydan Carey, another one of the grandsons, said he’s thrilled his dad won the event, but it’s all about community.
“The absolute most important part of it is all of the donations, the community coming together and bringing that sense of home to our town,” Brydan said. “It warms my heart this is for my grandpa, that just means so much.”
The tournament, which started with just eight players in 2014, would grow in terms of players too, but there’s only so many pool tables in the community, Bill added.
“It’s just amazing the support we get from the community,” he said. “I think it’s the friendship, it’s the camaraderie, it’s giving back to the community.
“The fact we’ve been doing it for 10 years and they see that we come back every year and we’re doing it all for the food bank, so people trust you and know it’s going to a good cause.”
This year’s event, held on Feb. 5 and 8, took place at Okotoks Elks Club, InCahoots Bar & Grill, Grand Central Bar & Grill and Boston Pizza.
