Meet Ryley

About Me

My name is Ryley Budd and I’m a 17 year old goalie from Calgary. I've been playing hockey for 10 years and dream to continue playing at the highest level and to make a career out of it. I came up the idea for Be A Budd when I was 13 years old. It started small with just wanting to raise money for a good cause and help in my community.

Spending time with kids, laughing on the ice, or just doing things to help others really does feel good. It's what motivates me to keep making efforts in whatever community I'm part of and keep trying to find more way to help.

Having other young people want to join me has been amazing, and I'm so proud of how Be A Budd has grown over the last 4 years. As of 2026, together we've raised over $65,000 while volunteered for more than 70 hours in community. I really appreciate everyone’s support and want to thank you for reading through my website!

"Don’t underestimate yourself when you’re trying to help others and do good. At the start for me it was just an idea and something that might or might not work. If you have an idea and want to try to do something good, just go for it.”

Ryley

How Be A Budd Started

Be A Budd began with a simple idea.

When I was 13 years old, I wanted to find a way to give back to my community through the sport I love — hockey. What started as one small fundraising idea has grown into a youth-led initiative that mobilizes young people to support community causes through volunteering, fundraising, and leadership.

Over the past four years, Be A Budd has grown from just me into a structured youth collective raising funds, volunteering, and building partnerships that strengthen communities. Here's what happened:

Year 1

2022–2023 | The Idea Becomes Action

During the 2022–2023 hockey season, I launched the first Be A Budd fundraising effort after learning about the HEROS Hockey SuperHEROS program, an adaptive hockey program for youth with cognitive and physical challenges. With the support of Executive Director Kevin Hodgson, I partnered with local sponsor Enercorp, who pledged:

$1 for every save
$10 for every shutout

I also volunteered on the ice with SuperHEROS players whenever possible.

By the end of the season the fundraiser had raised nearly $700, but EnerCorp surprised us with a $5,000 donation, helping send 15 SuperHEROS players to their first tournament in Ontario. What started as a personal initiative had already begun making a real community impact.

Year 2

2023–2024 | Growing Community Support

Encouraged by the first season, I grew the fundraising model and set a goal of raising $10,000.

Returning sponsor Enercorp was joined by new sponsors including:

Adrenalin Source for Sports
The Meyer Family

Together we raised $15,000, helping bring 80 SuperHEROS athletes from across Canada to Calgary for the first-ever SuperHEROS Spring Friendship Series. This year showed that when community partners and young people work together, the impact can grow quickly.

Year 3

2024–2025 | The Be A Budd Collective Launches

As the initiative grew, other players began asking how they could get involved. Instead of fundraising alone, I created The Be A Budd Collective — a way for other young people to join the effort and support SuperHEROS together. I initially hoped a few friends might participate. Instead, the first season launched with:

15 Collective members
8 supporting sponsors
Goalies, players, and coaches all participating

Together we set a goal of raising $20,000 through fundraising and a community silent auction.

By the end of the season we had raised $30,000, helping send SuperHEROS players to Anaheim, California to compete in the American Special Hockey Association tournament.

Year 4

2025–2026 | From Initiative to Organization

The Be A Budd Collective returned continuing to support the SuperHEROS program through fundraising and regular on-ice volunteering with Collective members skating alongside SuperHEROS athletes throughout the season, strengthening the relationships that are the heart of the initiative. So far this season we've raised over $20,000, helping send SuperHEROS players to the OneAbility Games in Vancouver, Canada.

12 Collective members
15 supporting sponsors

This year also marked an important milestone: Be A Budd officially became a registered non-profit organization, creating a real structure to support future growth and new community initiatives.

As we looked for opportunities to expanded our impact, while playing in Bonnyville, Alberta, Ryley helped organize a community Christmas Toy Drive with the Bonnyville Pontiacs, using funds raised through Be A Budd to support local families during the holiday season.

Where We Are Today

Together, Be A Budd participants have:

Raised more than $65,000 for community programs
Built partnerships with community organizations and sponsors
Created opportunities for young people to volunteer, fundraise, and lead

Today, Be A Budd is evolving into a structured platform designed to help young people create meaningful community impact through service and leadership. Because at its core, the idea is still simple: