Coaching representative with the Kindersley Skating Club Amber Wildman recently added a notable accomplishment to her resume after the most recent Skate Canada AGM. Wildman was awarded the Saskatchewan Club and Recreational Coach Award of Excellence at the AGM a few months back, and officially received her award back in May.

The recent meeting was held over Zoom and though Wildman was given a heads up about her award, that didn’t stop her from soaking in the good amount of acclaim during the call. All of the meeting’s features were presented through the online setting, and Wildman described it as a good way to get everyone together despite the scenario.

“They give you an email, kind of a heads up that you won. I was very surprised to receive the email, and very honoured to have been chosen.”

Wildman is one of the club’s four listed coaches. Bev Callsen and Sam Motier are the two other experienced coaches, with the fourth name on the coaching list being one of Wildman’s latest students turned teacher in Brett Werner.

She is just one of a few examples, as Wildman’s passion has led to a chance for her students to watch and learn, and attempt to teach the next wave of Kindersley Skating Club talent. Another former student echoed that sentiment completely, remembering Wildman as a really good coach to all the skaters, but as an even better mentor for her when the opportunity was available to coach.

“Coaches can choose if they want to (mentor). Quite often it's a skater reaching out to you to help them with becoming a coach, or taking some training,” explained Wildman, “I think it starts because of Canskate. I train the program assistants that help me on the ice, and then that’s where they find their love for helping and deciding to be a coach I think.”

From teaching Canskate all the way up to helping her most experienced students, Wildman has managed to make the Kindersley Skating Club a large part of her life for many years now.

“I grew up on a farm by Smiley, I skated in the Kindersley Skating Club as a child, and I never left,” laughed Wildman.

She started her training and kept it going to become a coach at around 16, and coached in and around the west central region for years before cutting it down to only Kindersley as more and more opportunity became available in town.

With the Kindersley Skating Club apart of her DNA at this point, one can’t help but think taking on new challenges with her students is something that keeps her passion fresh.

“I just love sharing the passion for skating I had as a child, and being able to share it with skaters, and kids that want to become coaches,” said Wildman, “Nothing is more exciting to me than when one of my program assistants asks for help starting their journey to becoming a coach, and then continuing on. It’s just so exciting they have chosen what I chose, and that they can feel the love of skating and want to continue on and share their passion as well.

She hopes her work with locals pays off in a way that creates a long string of community coaches for years to come. Filling these positions can sometimes be tough in a small town, and Wildman commented on how lucky Kindersley has always been to have such a consistent program.

While it was nice to get a shout-out for her efforts, continued recognition for the club itself and a strong return to competitions this upcoming season is likely what the recent award winner is looking forward to.