Approved Coaches


Brian Gray

Brian Gray has demonstrated significant innovation and creativity in his 20+ year coaching career. He starting coaching junior curlers in 1983, and has coached elite teams since 1998.

In his resident Switzerland, he achieved a number of significant "firsts", and has been credited in part for a curling transformation which took place in Swiss Women's curling in the late 90's. Team leader at that time was Bern's Nicole Strausak, who was joined at skip by Zürich's Luzia Ebnöther in late 1998. "She {Ebnöther} was the toughest person I ever had to coach", admits Gray, "but once we sorted out the insecurities and the game understanding, she starting throwing really nicely". The Bern CC team went on with Gray to win Swiss Gold in 1999 and World Silver in 2000, the latter being a feat unmatched by any Swiss Women's team or coach since 1984. As Strausak departed the team in 2000, she went on to form a new team with CC Bern - and Gray - and promptly won Swiss Gold again in 2002. As Bern CC 2 she and her team defeated old team-mate Ebnöther in the final. Brian Gray earned the distinction of becoming one of very few coaches to become Swiss Champion with two different teams, in the first season together with the team. And this at a time when Swiss Women's curling was very much on a high.

Since 2005, Brian Gray has embarked on a number of exciting projects with smartCurling and has worked with teams from all over Europe, most noticeably Latvia. His love of the country has led to a very close working relationship the Latvian Curling Association and a number of elite teams, all vying to be the first Latvian team to qualify for the World Curling Championships. In 2007 at the European Championships in Füssen, he was instrumental in helping the Latvian Men's Team skipped by Ritvars Gulbis to their nation's first ever Curling Medal, European B Bronze. Under Brian Gray's guidance, the team leaped up the European Rankings from 21st (in Garmisch-Partenkirchen) to 13th (in Füssen) in just 24 months.

Brian Gray is credited as being a leader in the area of curling strategy and team building. He has the rare ability to formulate curling strategy in a manner that most athletes can readily understand. "When he speaks, we listen. But more importantly, we understand! It's as simple as that", one athlete commented in 2007. Another athlete commented "I've visited a number of curling camps and seminars, but no-one that I have met can explain strategy like Brian can. I believe he has a rare talent."

Brian currently lives in Bern, Switzerland. He speaks and coaches in English, French and German. In his spare time he likes to ski, party, and drive his Jag. Contact >>>   WCF Profile >>>