Randy Baker has two passions ñ skates and his pair of cockatoos.
Baker is in fact the Birdman of the Innisfail Eagles hockey club, a moniker he picked up for his devotion to his 21-year-old cockatoo Lola and her sidekick Chelse, a 37-year-old Malakand cockatoo.
More importantly for the Eagles, he's the team's master of skates, the man in the background who quietly makes a huge difference for each Eagle in every hockey game.
Baker is the team's official skate sharpener, and his job is to ensure every skate for the team matches the often-quirky expectations of seasoned hockey players.
ìYes, they call me the Birdman, and I am having fun doing this. It's all good,î said Baker, who runs his skate sharpening business out of Red Deer but is completely devoted to the delicate needs of the Eagles hockey team. He is at every home and away game, and at every practice. And he does it all for free for the Innisfail Eagles hockey team. Baker is a true volunteer in every sense of the word.
ìRandy is everything to this hockey team. The skates have got to be sharpened. He is the whole puzzle that makes the Innisfail Eagles tick. That is Randy,î said Danny Daines, a team director, whose team is playing its final game of regular season this week in the senior men's Chinook Hockey League. ìEverybody is a volunteer but Randy goes out of his way to be a volunteer. He does not miss a practice. He does not miss a game or a road game. He is a true volunteer.î
Baker came to the Eagles when Brian Sutter moved from Bentley to Innisfail two years ago to become the Eagles' head coach. He purchased his skate sharpening business in 2007 from Lacombe's Peter Leaney, who was doing the skates for the Bentley Generals.
Life was already good for Baker, a former truck driver, when he got the call from Sutter to be part of the Eagles' team. In a busy season he can do 1,000 pairs of skates a month, and up to 8,500 pair in a year. And with the exception of speedskates, he does all types ñ hockey, recreational and figure skates. His expertise has earned him loyal clients from all across Central Alberta. There is even one lady from Edmonton who drives down to Red Deer to have Baker sharpen her skates.
For every Eagles game and practice Baker hauls his specialized equipment to the rink to ensure every player gets the very best service.
For each job perfection is the goal. Any error can mean the difference in each player's overall performance but also their safety on the ice.
ìThey can pull groins and get hurt going into the boards,î said Baker. ìI look at it the same way as racing. If you have a bad set of tires you are not going anywhere.
ìThere are different hollows and radiuses you have to do. Some of the players like them sharper while some of them don't like them so sharp,î added Baker. ìIt is finding the preference of what each player likes that you have to do.î
Baker has become a well-known and appreciated fixture at the Innisfail Arena. During practice last week kids were popping in and out of his small office asking Baker to cut the perfect edge on their skates. Baker, like the true happy volunteer he is, happily obliged.
ìThis will be my job until I am dead. It is what I am going to do as long as I can do it,î said Baker, who is also happy to show anyone his photos of Lola and Chelse. ìIt is my retirement job. If I can't do it properly I will quit.î
