RED DEER – It wouldn’t feel like Alberta Cup if Kim Buchan wasn’t part of it.
Buchan, who is the Director of Operations for Alberta Blue at this weekend’s Alberta Cup, has been volunteering her time since 2016. Her love for the game of hockey is what set her on that path.
“We lived in Drayton Valley at that point, and I was part of the committee that had the provincials, and I met some people at Hockey Alberta through that event who reached out to me to me after provincials to see if I was interested in doing this,” Buchan recalls. “There were two factors that went into it; I love hockey and one day my kids won’t be playing anymore. It really set me up for having something to always be involved with the sport, enjoy hockey, and give back to others.”
Buchan is very proud of the fact she has held the role for six Alberta Cup events over the past eight years (including the two events lost to COVID).
“When I look back at the kids I’ve worked with and what you get out of it from them is as much as you give to them and I think I’ve been able to experience that during my time with Hockey Alberta,” Buchan said. “I have that passion for hockey, or I wouldn’t be doing this for as many years as I have been. I just want the kids to have that passion and for them to carry on, enjoy it and be excited about it and I think by giving them that opportunity helps with that success.”
For Buchan, she hopes that the players on her Alberta Cup teams come out of each event understanding a key lesson she has also learned – the importance of the overall event experience in the personal life of each participant.
“Especially with the Hockey Alberta experience, I believe that things are set up to be followed to make it the best that it can be. You do that every day, whether it’s your home or work life. I want everyone to have that same experience so they understand the importance and benefit of this experience and what it might do for them one day,” Buchan said. “Whatever happens today doesn’t define tomorrow, but what you want tomorrow to look like is up to you. Just like hard work, success will come at the end of the day. It might be minor, it might be major, but it will come. It’s just important that they understand to just give effort and they’ll see success.”
Buchan currently resides in Bay Tree, seven-and-a-half-hours away from Red Deer. On top of her volunteering ventures, she also juggles work and home life balance. She said the support of her family has allowed her to pay attention to all aspects of her life.
“I think my family has been very accepting of my passion. They’ve always been involved,” Buchan said. “My staff is the most understanding and I’m fortunate because we have good people that work for us. They pick up my slack and do what I need to so I can come here and do this. It’s a hectic April but I’m very fortunate that people support me and give me this opportunity.”