Alumni Power Play

More than 40 years after he first stepped onto the ice for the Dinos, Terry Johnson finds himself drawn back to the University of Calgary – again.

After stints as a player, then an assistant coach a decade later, Johnson (BComm ’91) is leading an effort to consolidate and formalize alumni support for the Dinos men’s hockey team, and he’s drawing on the experience of successful alumni organizations in other sports in doing so.

It’s no secret that external support is critical to competitive success in Canadian university sport. With guidance from football’s 5th Quarter Association and basketball’s Sixth Man Club, the 3rd Assist Club aims to bring that winning formula to the men’s hockey team.

“We’re going to create a meaningful network for alumni and supporters,” he said, “a vehicle through which we can make contributions, network and leverage off each other.”

Johnson’s on-ice career at Foothills (now Father David Bauer) Arena wasn’t a long one. After two seasons with the Calgary Canucks and 70 WHL games with the Saskatoon Blades, Johnson joined the Dinosaurs' blue line in 1978. He appeared in 27 regular season and playoff games, picking up seven points and 84 penalty minutes.

A year later, he made his National Hockey League debut with the Quebec Nordiques.

Johnson spent the 1980s plying his trade with the Nordiques, the St. Louis Blues, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and their American Hockey League affiliates. In February 1986, a trade brought him and Joe Mullen from St. Louis to the Calgary Flames, who went on a magical run to the Stanley Cup Final.

When his professional hockey career came to an end in 1988, Johnson found himself back on campus to complete his Bachelor of Commerce degree en route to a career in the energy industry. He returned to the hockey team, too, this time behind the bench as an assistant coach during the Willie Desjardins and Tim Bothwell eras.

“All my experiences (at UCalgary) were positive,” said Johnson. “I grew up going to university games. The year I played we had a terrific team, and it was a super positive experience for me.

That’s a sentiment shared by Paul Geddes (BComm ’87), who is part of the 3rd Assist Club’s leadership group along with Johnson, Russ Hall (BComm ’78), and Ken Vinge.

Geddes, who still holds the program’s single-season points record with 69 in 1986-87, credits his success in hockey and in his career to his time with the Dinos.

“My degree and experience really helped set me up for success,” he said. “The program did a lot for me and I want to give back, and I know the guys that are involved with me feel the same way. It’s an amazing program, and we want to try to rebuild the connection between the alumni and the current program, and we want to help the program be as successful as it can be.”

In taking a page from the playbooks of the 5th Quarter and Sixth Man Club, the hockey group is certainly positioning itself for success. Collectively, those two organizations alone have raised millions of dollars in additional support for their programs, leading directly to competitive success.

These funds – like the $1.5 million John Forzani endowment for football – support recruiting to attract top athletes, scholarships to ease the financial burden on student-athletes, additional academic and sports science support, and non-conference travel opportunities.

Differentiators like those have made an immediate impact: men’s basketball won its first national championship in 2018, and the football team captured its first Vanier Cup in 24 years in 2019.

“The support from those groups for us has been tremendous,” said Johnson. “We are starting from scratch, but we aren’t really – we’ve been able to take advantage of what they’ve learned. Greg Vavra (BComm ’83, JD ’92) and Geoff Thompson (BComm ’81) really helped us formulate a plan on how to go about things.”

The 5th Quarter and Sixth Man Club have helped UCalgary write its partnerships playbook as showpiece examples of how the university can deepen its connection with the community – a key focus of the Growth Through Focus plan.

For Mark Howell, the 3rd Assist Club’s formation is vital to the long-term health of the men’s hockey team, while allowing him and his coaching staff to shift their focus away from fundraising and toward recruiting and on-ice coaching and player development.

“It’s instrumental – regardless of who the coach is, now there will be continuity and longevity,” said Howell, the team’s head coach since 2009. “Our alumni have been great in my time here, but to have this investment of money, energy, and time from them is huge, and I think we will see an increase in their involvement physically, financially, and emotionally.”

In the short term, Johnson and his team are busy tracking down alumni, building a database, and working on a website launch. Longer-term, plans include fundraising events, alumni gatherings, and a mentorship program pairing current players with alumni.

“We’re going to designate one alumnus per player based on their academic program to help with networking, school and life learnings, and in time help getting a job,” Howell explained. “I think it’ll be of enormous benefit.

“It’s going to lead to a continual evolution – our players will benefit during their time here, then feel a sense of responsibility to give back with their time and financial assistance.”

“It’s an opportunity for the alumni and supporters to impact student-athletes at a defining time in their lives,” said Johnson. “We want to lessen the burdens and provide the athletes with the same experiences for growth that we had. We are helping people in the community grow and become good citizens and leaders.
 

Alumni support is critical to the ongoing success of all Dinos teams. If you’d like to get involved with one of the groups mentioned in this story, or to find out more information about supporting your team, please contact Braydon Epp, Director of Development.