Castor Community Visionary: JD Johnson

When you live in a smaller community for a good while, you’ll often get the privilege of seeing traditions and values be passed down from generation to generation. From the love of hockey to taking over the family farm, things just seem to come around full circle. As a father, coach, and volunteer, Castor area’s JD Johnson has experienced it firsthand; and he’s grateful to continue the cycle by paying his positive experience forward.

JD Johnson grew up on a farm in Halkirk, near Castor, Alberta. After a brief time living in Calgary, he returned to the farm, got married, started a family and began volunteering. Like the responsibilities of adulthood and parenting, lending a hand within his community felt like a natural progression. “I just try to help out, try to do my share…There were people before me and there'll be people after me. I figure it’s my turn,” he says.

JD wears a lot of different hats. He’s the President of both the Halkirk Curling Club and the Halkirk Community Hall board. He coaches youth hockey and softball, helps out with community functions in and around Castor and emcees from time to time. He’s even the local rodeo clown. People tell JD he’s giving back to the community, but he’s not sure if he’s actually giving or receiving. “Half of me says I need to give back and half of me says I really like this,” says JD. “I'm there anyways. I might as well help out.”

Team sports hold a special place in JD’s heart. He’s grateful to have played hockey from childhood until his 30s. “I want to make sure that everybody has the same opportunities that I’ve had,” says JD, “When you're a 14-year-old boy playing hockey, you don't realize the time and effort that coaches, managers, and everybody else puts into it—until it comes full circle.”

It certainly did come full circle for JD. He encouraged his three daughters to get involved in sports, leading him to coach hockey and softball. It’s given him a different perspective on gratitude and how the smallest actions, or words, can have a big impact. For JD, the greatest gift is hearing ‘thank you, Coach.’ “That's all they need to do. As soon as you hear that, it validates everything you've done all practice or all year.”

JD’s grateful for the opportunity to be a positive influence within his community. He says he became the person he is today with support he received growing up and he hopes to pay that forward. “Every time I see a kid that I coached…and I see them on the right path or I see that they're very likeable kids, I like to think that I had some small part in it…When I go to practice, I teach them to pass and I teach them to shoot and all that. But I'm hoping at the end of the day, I also teach them to be a better person,” he says. Now that really would bring it all full circle.

Pictured above (from left to right): Sandra Johnson, Toryn Johnson, and JD Johnson.