RED DEER - To celebrate National Volunteer Week, Hockey Alberta is shining the spotlight on a handful of volunteers who make a huge impact on the sport in Alberta.
More volunteer profiles can be found on Hockey Alberta’s Volunteer Appreciation page.
Kevin Kuryluk
Kevin has held numerous volunteer positions in the Grande Prairie area, including coaching minor hockey and minor baseball, and has been a minor hockey board member since 2016.
Kevin also volunteers with Hockey Alberta in several capacities, including facilitating coach clinics, on-ice instruction at development camps, and volunteer coaching.
"I feel like if I can help a young athlete grow as a person and become more confident, I can help them accomplish more," said Kevin. "If that’s carried forward with them for their entire life, it will create opportunities for others. I also think back to my youth and how many great people influenced my life through their volunteer work, and I believe we build stronger communities through sport and teamwork and I enjoy watching the players I coach grow and develop. There’s no downside to volunteering."
Kevin notes his recent experience as being part of the Team Alberta North Male coaching staff for the 2020 Arctic Winter Games as one of his most memorable moments.
"Even though the games were cancelled, just being part of the process starting in August with applying for the job through to our training weekend with the players from both the male and female teams it was a fantastic experience," he said. "Another highlight for me has been working all of the Hockey Alberta PEP camps and being with the Hockey Alberta PEP program from the beginning."
Kevin operates a grain farm and is considered an essential worker, so he continues to work through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Janet Fairless
Janet is a long-time volunteer with Hockey Alberta as the Zone 1 Minor Administration Coordinator and Minor Administration Chair. Her long list of volunteer roles in hockey also includes coaching female hockey with the Grimshaw Minor Hockey Assoications, numerous team manager positions, registrar for Grimshaw MHA, and the manager and registrar for the Grimshaw Huskies Senior Men’s team. She also has been a member of the Arctic Winter Games Mission Staff since 2012.
Outside of hockey, Janet holds several other volunteer roles with Ducks Unlimited, the Grimshaw Community Services Board, and has volunteered for both the Alberta Summer and Alberta Winter Games.
"(I volunteer) for the joy it gives to the athletes, that’s the main reason," said Janet. "But also, these things need to be done so activities and organizations can run... someone has to do it. People ask me why I do it, what am I getting out of it. If you are doing it for the purpose of getting something out of it, then I don’t feel that you are there for the right reasons. My answer always is satisfaction from helping others, and the relationships. I have met so many great people and made so many wonderful friends through my volunteering."
Janet said her favourite moments always come from seeing the look of accomplishment on athlete’s faces when they win a banner or medal.
"One that really stands out was giving the Most Sportmanlike banner to the Indis Atom Hockey team last year at Provincials in Peace River," she said. "That was a very happy group of young players. You would think they had won the Stanley Cup and in my eyes they did. I almost cried presenting it to them, they were a great group, right from the bench staff, players to the fans."
Tosha is the trainer for the Red Deer Junior B Vipers, a position she’s held since 2016, having previously been the volunteer coordinator for the team. She has been a volunteer coach for the Red Deer City Soccer Association since she was 16 years old.
Pete and Crystal Swales are both longtime volunteers in Central Alberta, and currently volunteer with the Red Deer Senior AA Rustlers. Pete has been the team’s trainer since its inception a little over two years ago, with Crystal helping out in various roles during games and practices.
Tom has been coaching hockey in Lethbridge for eight years, at every level from Peewee AA to Midget AAA. He also currently is the Lethbridge Hurricane’s assistant video coach.
Darren is a long-time hockey coach in Edmonton, and also coaches lacrosse and baseball. He’s also volunteered as an assistant coach in lacrosse, and as an player evaluator during hockey evaluations.
Lesley holds a number of volunteer roles within her Southern Alberta community, most notably as a founding director of the University of Lethbridge Women’s Hockey Alumni Foundation.
Kayne currently sits on the Sylvan Lake Minor Hockey Association Board of Directors as the Initiation Director, where he started the Learn To Play and Junior Coach programs.
Julie is currently Hockey Alberta’s Minor Female Chair, a position she’s held for four years, and is the Senior Midget Governor for NAI. She’s previously held the position of Vice President and President of the Ponoka Minor Hockey Association, and the Governor for the North Central.
Scott has given his time to the sport for 12 years as a coach, board member and director with Hockey Calgary, as well as the First Shift Program and the Calgary Flames Learn to Play Program.
Bernie Vanderham is a volunteer coach with the Innisfail Timbit Eaglet program for four year-olds, a position he’s held for 14 years. Bernie has had the opportunity to coach the program alongside his son Logan, who was just 15 years old when he began coaching.
Keith Hurd has been an active volunteer since 2007, including over 10 years with the Team Alberta program as a Director of Operations at the Alberta Cup, and Camp Coordinator at the Team Alberta U16 Summer Development Camp.
