Volunteering is not something you can do on your phone, and it’s not about the money, fame or medals.
It’s about that feeling deep down that brings you joy to your heart in helping others near and far.
Knud Petersen, a Lethbridge College Kodiaks sponsor, has been a part of the Lethbridge community in many different areas.
Before moving to Canada in 1965, he grew up in Denmark and immigrated to Canada as an agricultural exchange student.
Petersen said he liked farming in Canada so much that he decided to stay and was able to get his permanent residency without even leaving the country.
Later, he would make a life in Chin where he owned and ran Cactus Pete Farms, a potato farm.
In between running the farm and raising a family, Petersen still had time to volunteer and coach two local soccer teams, the U16 and U18 Chargers alongside his friend Alvin Tietz.
In 1994, he decided to sell the farm to his partner and retire.
This gave him and Tietz the opportunity to fund and coach the first-ever women’s soccer program at the college.
At the time, the college didn’t have the money to fund the team.
Therefore, Tim Tollestrup, former Athletic Director at the college, said if they wanted to start up a women’s soccer program, they would have to fund it themselves.
And so, Tietz and Petersen decided to come up with the money to fund the team with the help of Ron Sakamoto, a local promoter.
The pair would coach the team to an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference provincial championship and CCAA national title in its undefeated inaugural season.
This team still remains the only national soccer champion in the college’s history.
After his third-season of coaching the Kodiaks, he would call it a career and hang up his cleats.
However, that didn’t stop him from volunteering in the community and showing a helping hand.
Petersen offers his time on countless committees, which include the University of Lethbridge Senate, Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs and the Kodiaks Association.
The soccer fanatic said volunteering is just in his blood.
“I can always remember just helping out when there was a party or putting chairs away. I think it’s really important to pitch in and promote community activities.”
Another way he gives back to the community is through donating money for athletic scholarships at the college and sponsoring athletes through the Adopt-A-Kodiak program.
Todd Caughlin, Athletic Director at the college, said Petersen is an individual that has dedicated his life to always helping.
“He is so well connected in the community and the dedication he has to always wanting to make sure Lethbridge and everybody in the city benefits from any kind of exposure. You just want to be Knud.”
Caughlin added Peterson comes out to every event possible and will come to the school to organize events, even though he doesn’t have to.
“It means everything to Kodiaks Athletics to have a guy like him on-board. Having the support of alumni or people that bleed the Kodiak blue is what the institution and athletics department survives on.”
Vicky Noronha, a Kodiaks soccer player, said he has personally supported her throughout her time at the college.
“He’s really great and he makes it out to every game he can and every time he sees me, he goes out of his way to say hi and check in to see how things are going.”
Noronha added the former head coach cares about athletics and he isn’t doing it for praise; he genuinely cares about the community.
The annual Kodiak Athletic Award is named and sponsored by Petersen and Tietz.
It is awarded to two players from each of the men’s and women’s soccer teams and one each to a male and female volleyball player at the end of the year.
