Hockey volunteer recognized for service

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Five years of unstinting giving to the cause of youth and the sport of minor hockey has caught up with Irvin Willier. A few weeks ago, AATCO Gas presented Willier with its Volunteer Appreciation Award during the final games of Minor Hockey Week in the Agricom.

"I enjoy working with the kids," said Willier. "They show it on their faces that they're having fun, and it's all worth it after you see that look."

Willier said he doesn't plan too far ahead, in terms of a commitment to volunteerism. A year at a time, usually. But that's because when he's into something, he's in all the way.

That's up to five hours a night during the winter. He'll pick up as many as four youths on the Pee-Wee team, drive them and their equipment to a game and drop them off at home.

This year he has also helped a couple of Midget players find fees and get started in hockey. Altogether this year he's helped 11 youth find fees and rides so they could play on their community team.

In the spring Willier switches to ball, but tries to take the summer off to give his own family some quality time "and recharge my batteries for the coming winter season."

Willier said the secret to being a true volunteer is to "roll up your sleeves and bear down for hard work." Pats on the back are secondary.

"You've got to stay focused on the kids and the purpose you're volunteering," he said.

"Once they say thank you, and you got a teenager that says thank you, then you know you're helping them out, doing something they like."

Willier said most often he helps single-parent families where the parent "is trying their best to get the kid into hockey or into sports, and the only thing holding them back could be funding or a ride.

If the kids really want to play, I'll put some effort into them." He added, however, that if the child is lukewarm about playing or if it is some youth worker's idea that he play, he is basically hands-off until they can show they are really motivated.

At least one girl hockey player has come under Willier's wing when he organized provincial hockey. He has had one girl goalie with him for three years.

Willier loves kids and he loves sports, especially hockey, so he feels he benefits as much as the players from the interaction. There is no question that being on a team helps some of the youth.

"I find any kid that plays an organized sport on an organized team learns discipline and they learn how to respect each other, and they're respected in the community."

He added, "you learn patience. You learn when to talk and not to talk. It's an overall learning to be a better person."

Willier and his wife have foster children at home too. Right now they have two brothers, aged 10 and 12, part of the family for three years and playing their second year of hockey. "They're the main reason that I do this volunteer work."

Other foster children the Williers cared for some years back were the reason he got involved with hockey to begin with, taking them to the games and "learning together. . . . they also got me started in the Native provincials." That led to building a team.

Willier added, "I've been involved so long now, it's a part of my life."

Hard to believe that Willier was never a hockey player himself. But he played indoor basketball "for 20-some years," so he came by his enthusiasm for team participation by that route.

Currently Willier is in contact with nearby reserves. If they are not putting a team in the minor hockey league system, but have a few players that want to play "they're more than welcome to come on" his teams.

Willier knows his efforts make a difference, but he also wants others to get credit for helping young hockey players. "I've been fortunate that most of the kids that we outfit with equipment [it] comes from Sports Central," which have been "a very, very good partner" in helping motivated regular players whose family can't afford equipment to acquire some.

He'll welcome anyone's donations of time, money or equpment to help young people who want to play hockey.

"I'm fortunate that the Ben Calf Robe Society supports this hockey 100 per cent, even in organizing the sled dogs for the Native provincials. Ben Calf Robe handles all the administration, they take in all the donations, they hand out a charitable number, they do all the paperwork for no charge. And this way there's always a paper trail so people know where their money's been.

They're not paying me directly . . . so it's all black and white. So if anyone wants to contribute, just get hold of the Ben Calf Robe Society," said Willier.

High fees and not just lack of equipment keep a lot of Native youths from playing at the higher tiers, AA and AAA hockey. "It's a very costly sport," when sign-up fee, maintenance fee, tournaments, equipment and incidentals are included, said Willier.

The provincials have been played in Edmonton the past three years in April and begin this year on April 3.