WHL Beyond Hockey: Drew Nichol – Firefighter

WHL Beyond Hockey is a brand new series celebrating the outstanding community contributions beyond the world of hockey made by those associated with the Western Hockey League. From Officials to Team Doctors, and everywhere in between, countless individuals across the WHL continue to put their best foot forward as they serve their community during this uncertain time.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Alta., Drew Nichol wouldn’t have it any other way.

Alberta’s provincial capital was his home growing up and his main base throughout his hockey career, which featured three seasons with the current incarnation of the Edmonton Oil Kings followed by five seasons with the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

Nichol has since turned his experience in the WHL as well as his education through the use of the WHL Scholarship to become a key member of the Edmonton Fire Rescue Service. Once benefitting from community support while on the ice, he’s more than happy to return the favour in the current climate.

“In many situations people are calling us because they’re in dire need of help,” Nichol said. “That’s a really rewarding position to be in. This COVID situation has amplified that. We do our best to be as courteous and professional as we can.

“That’s a pretty strong ideal that comes from the WHL as well.”

Personally, Nichol hasn’t seen a sharp increase in COVID-related calls, but the preparations as a front-line worker has brought the situation to the front of his mind.

“[There’s] a heightened awareness on public service, a heightened awareness on personal protective equipment, how we go about our daily routine has changed,” Nichol added. “It’s been a pretty serious transition from how we used to handle things to what this new protocol looks like.”

While the pandemic has reached a global level of scale, Nichol has tried to keep things in perspective, understanding his commitment to his local community.

“There’s a lot of big picture ideas there and our approach is that we’re just trying to help each individual to the best of our ability every time,” Nichol said. “It can be a little overwhelming to think of the global impact.”

Firefighting is in Nichol’s blood thanks to his grandfather. However, it wasn’t his first choice for a future career. Instead, Nichol utilized his WHL Scholarship to attain a Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of Alberta.

While pursuing his educational goals, Nichol also aided the University of Alberta Golden Bears men’s hockey team in winning four Canada West championships as well as a pair of U SPORTS national titles.

“We had great staff around us who supported us and encouraged us to think about what’s coming next and how to go about that,” Nichol said of his decision to pursue a post-secondary degree. “As a young man playing, it isn’t always at the forefront of your thoughts.

“I was supported by incredible coaches, academic liaisons from the league as well as from our own team.”

Nichol’s community outreach doesn’t end with his normal job duties. Working with a group of local kids, he’s able to utilize his education to enhance off-ice training. As community ambassador, Nichol takes pride in what he does and who he does it for.

“It’s an incredible role,” he said. “We’re ambassadors in the community, we’re able to help people when they need it and that’s something that can’t be overlooked.”

The WHL commends Nichol for the utilization of his education to provide an incredible service to those in his home community of Edmonton, Alta.