Success on and off the ice leads to law school scholarship

If there is one skill Devan Fafard has that will give him an edge over his classmates, it’s likely the ability to juggle a lot of things at once. After playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for four seasons (and for three different teams — Saskatoon Blades, Red Deer Rebels, and Lethbridge Hurricanes), followed by four years of university hockey at the University of British Columbia, Fafard has mastered the art of balancing multiple commitments.

“I moved away from home at 15 to play hockey,” says Fafard. “My mom made sure I kept my grades up so that I could keep playing. As a result, I learned great time management and organizational skills.”

Fafard graduated from UBC’s Sauder School of Business with a BComm in Finance this past spring. The combination of business law courses and the experience of being involved with contract negotiations as a player in the WHL piqued his interest in law school. Fafard is keeping an open mind about what type of law he’d like to practice, but he does have an interest in corporate law.

Fafard first stepped on the ice in a backyard rink when he was three, and started playing organized hockey when he was five. He played other sports growing up as well, including baseball, golf and volleyball. But his true love was always hockey.

“Playing in the WHL was a step towards the boyhood dream of playing professional hockey,” he explains. “There was a lot of pressure being in the public eye, but it was so great to be able to live out that dream.”

Fafard’s success on and off the ice has scored him one of the law school’s top scholarships, the JD Program Entrance Scholarship for varsity sport and academic excellence.

Throughout his hockey career, Fafard frequently visited Calgary and enjoyed the city. This played a factor in which law school to choose, as he wanted to make connections in the city where he could see himself practising law after graduation.

He was also drawn to the Calgary Curriculum and its unique practical and experiential opportunities.

“It’s so great to be able to attend a school that is training lawyers to be practice-ready, and to be able to get involved in the legal community right away.”