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Celebrating hockey heroes: Shane Viste

“I would encourage anybody to volunteer. It gets you more involved and gives you a whole new perspective… you will get a lot less disgruntled about the little things.”
Shane Viste
Shane Viste is the latest hockey hero. Submitted Photo

From the Desk of Cochrane Minor Hockey

Special to the Eagle

Not all dads can handle double duty like Shane Viste.

But for Shane, managing his sons’ Rockies Hockey League (RHL) Bantam B and Midget D teams is just another day.

“I love helping the kids and giving back what I can,” said Viste, Cochrane Minor Hockey Association’s (CMHA) volunteer of the month for November.

A father of three boys (one son who has aged out of CMHA), Viste and his family moved to Cochrane from Calgary about seven years ago and has come to call this hockey family their own.

“It’s still a small community,” mused Viste, who works in the energy sector by day and can be found at the rink most evenings and weekends – usually with his wife, Carmen, also volunteering when she can.

“Shane has helped with evaluations every season and this past season he was the head of all RHL evaluations,” said Angela Sellwood, RHL Vice-President.

“He is one of the fairest people I know and 100 per cent has the best interest of every player he comes across. He dedicates many hours each week to his teams and countless to the organization over the years – we are very lucky to have someone like him in our organization.”

Just how many hours each week does Viste spend helping kids play the most Canadian of sports? Try around 30-40 hours during evaluations and upwards of 20 at any time, with some relaxation in the summer months. And he wouldn’t trade a single one of them in.

What is the secret behind wrangling teenaged boys to make a well-oiled team machine run?

Patience. And a little reality check.

“Once you realize the game isn’t about winning, it’s about camaraderie with the team and the memories you create… once you realize that, you’re there,” said Shane.

Advice to other coaches looking to up their volunteerism and join the ranks? Be respectful – of players, other volunteers and last but not least, the refs.

“It’s a really hard job, and it’s also really hard for coaches not to get caught up in the moment,” said Shane, adding that with refs it’s key to focus on the human factor and be understanding that just like anyone, they make mistakes and you won’t agree with every call made.

“I would encourage anybody to volunteer. It gets you more involved and gives you a whole new perspective… you will get a lot less disgruntled about the little things.”

If you have a volunteer worthy of the spotlight, reach out to [email protected].

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