A Stettler resident was honoured by the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame during a ceremony in July.
Robert Rawlusyk is no stranger to sports, having served as the Stettler Recreation director for a number of years, but his years of service go back decades.
"I started coaching little league in Drumheller," said Rawlusyk.
While in Drumheller, back in the 1960s, Rawlusyk also started coaching minor hockey where he led his team to championships in 1961 and 1963.
Not long after those wins, a friend convinced Rawlusyk to uproot from Drumheller and move to Stettler.
His first job in town was for the then-separate recreation board, teaching swimming up at Buffalo Lake as there was, at the time, no pool in town.
It was in Stettler that he met his wife as well.
"Probably, the best thing I ever did was move to Stettler," said Rawlusyk.
Rawlusyk began coaching hockey again in Stettler, and during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, he led teams to the provincial championships six more times.
In total, Rawlusyk spent nearly three decades working recreation for the Town of Stettler, including a turn as recreation director, and around 40 years coaching.
Rawlysuk's hockey experience went beyond Stettler, and Canada, as well; he took part in an Alberta-Japan hockey exchange program, served as an amateur hockey official and worked with youth of all ages during his time coaching.
In 1991, when Team Canada and Team Russia were scheduling games in the central Alberta region, Rawlusyk was asked to use his experience and network to organize games in the region including outlying regions like Castor and Coronation.
Rawlusyk fully retired from recreation around 15 years ago but was honoured for his years of service by receiving the second-ever Robert Clark Award Award during the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Induction in July.
According to the Alberta Elite Hockey League website, the award "is presented to someone who has demonstrated similar passion, leadership, collaboration, and integrity in growing and improving the game."
Other inductees during the 2024 Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame presentation were the 2000-01, Red Deer Rebels, who went 54-12-3-3 that season and professional hockey players and coaches Billy Dea, Jerome Iginla, Dave King, Kelly Kisio, Craig MacTavish, and Shannon Szabados.
