A champion swimmer, George Gate immigrated to Canada after World War II and began swimming under the tutelage of fellow BC Sports Hall of Famer, Percy Norman. Gate took a job in 1950 as pool manager for Pacific Mills Ltd. and soon became the highly successful head coach and aquatic director of the Ocean Falls Amateur Swim Club. Gate was inducted into the Canadian Aquatic Hall of Fame in 1982 and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.

Gate was a true pioneer in the world of coaching swimming. During his career spanning nearly four decades, he produced some of Canada’s finest swimmers and his methods and techniques were adopted by clubs throughout Canada.

Between 1952 and 1964, Gate’s Ocean Falls Swim Club, situated in an isolated company town of approximately 3000 residents on BC’s West Coast accessible only by boat or plane, captured the attention of Canada by winning a remarkable 26 national swimming events.

By 1964, half the Canadian Olympic men’s swim team were from Gate’s Ocean Falls club. The club produced a legacy of excellent swimmers including Ralph Hutton, Allan, Ron and Sandy Gilchrist, Jack Kelso, Lenora Fisher, and Richard ‘Dick’ Pound, who went on to become vice-president of the International Olympic Committee.

Late in 1964, Gate moved on to assume similar duties first at the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association and later at Pointe Claire, Quebec where he served as head coach and aquatic director of the Pointe Claire Swim Club. Under his tutelage, this club also enjoyed years of successful international competition.

Gate was selected seven times as head coach for Canada’s national swim teams between 1954-85.