Lumber Yards to Leadership: Alex Kaper leads the way for UM Woodsman Team
You might say Alex Kaper's destiny was carved out from the start. The sophomore and captain of the UM Woodsman team grew up in the heart of Illinois, in the family lumber yard, among towering stacks of timber, flashes of saw blades and flying wood chips.
But it took some time before Alex would find himself back among the familiar hum of a chainsaw. He joined the military right out of high school, serving five deployments with the 75th Ranger Regiment, the premier light infantry unit and special operations force within the United States Army Special Operations Command.
After the military, Alex found his way to the University of Montana, in search of a new start.
“I was really looking to do something completely different,” he said.
Discovering his aptitude for business, Alex chose to major in management information systems. However, his desire to work with his hands, spend time outdoors, and be part of a team persisted—needs that had been fulfilled during his time in the ranger regiment.
That’s when he found the UM Woodsman team, initially drawn by its strong leadership. Soon, he realized his skills meshed well with the team's requirements.
"Here were 20-year-olds orchestrating logging operations, resource planning for competitions," Alex recounted. "To me, even now, the Woodsman Team's allure lies in its leadership opportunities."
Alex also saw a way to teach, coach, and mentor young future leaders.
“I still love the timber sports aspect,” Alex said. “But the coolest part is the unique leadership experience it offers. If you want to develop leadership skills, there's no better place than the Woodsman Team. No other group allows you to manage the size and scale of projects.”
The team travels extensively across the American West, competing in various states such as Idaho, Colorado, Oregon, and California. During the summer, Alex also competes in the American Lumberjack Association leagues.
Beyond competitions, the team serves as a hub for logging knowledge and forestry skills, providing training in resourcing, heavy equipment operations, gyppo logging and logistics.
As captain, Alex collaborates with forestry and university-level risk mitigation teams. While competitions form the core of their activities, he emphasizes that membership isn't limited to competitors; the team welcomes individuals with diverse skills.
"There's a role for everyone—something unique you can contribute regardless of your experience in chopping or sawing," Alex said.
Alex appreciates the team's diversity, relishing the opportunity to collaborate with members from varied backgrounds.
“Anybody can join – one of the coolest things is that so many kids on the team are so opposite of me and where I came from,” Alex said. “In no other forum of school or life do I get to work with them toward common goals.”
You can catch Alex and the UM Woodsman Team in action Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27 during the 27th Annual Forestry Days at Fort Missoula. Friday, the team will compete in the collegiate timber sports competition with teams from forestry schools throughout the west. On Saturday, professional timber sports athletes who have traveled across the nation will compete in the only Professional/Amateur timber sports competition in the country. More info here.