Name: Dan Eves Age: 27 Title: Forward for the Cincinnati Cyclones Hometown: Lake Orion, Michigan
Why we love him: He’s a 6-foot-2 hockey player with a special passion for his family and community service.
Dan Eves grew up on hockey. “It’s the oldest thing I can remember doing,” he says. “My earliest memories are of running around the rink, watching my dad play. And I’ve been skating since I was able to walk. Besides my family, it’s the longest-lasting thing in my life.”
Eves’ hockey career was largely influenced by his father’s shared passion for the sport; his father even acted as his childhood coach. In high school, Eves played hockey in Texas and Michigan, and then for Lake Superior State University in college. After graduation, he bounced around for a couple of years — playing for three teams between 2008 and 2010 (Idaho Steelheads, Trenton Devils and South Carolina Stingrays) — before settling in with the Cyclones (cycloneshockey.com).
“There are a lot of things about Cincinnati that make playing here special,” he says. “I’ve played around enough to where I’ve been to all the different cities, and between the facilities we have here, our staff, the fans and just the city in general, it makes this one of the more desirable places to be.”
Eves is on the global executive board for a charity called Hockey Players for Kids (HP4K), a nonprofit organization made up of hockey players around the world who are dedicated to positively impacting the communities they play in. He helps out at local pancake breakfasts at Boys & Girls Clubs or afterschool programs and has a genuine passion for hanging out with kids and talking about hockey.
“Seeing their reactions is my favorite,” he says. “Although we’re minor league hockey players, they think we’re a big deal and it’s cool to make an impact on them. Seeing their faces light up is awesome.”
Finish this statement with five of your favorite things: I love …
I love my family, obviously I’ve got to mention my girlfriend — or she’ll kill me — hockey, competition and music.
Is there a specific spot in Cincinnati you particularly love?
Obviously I’m biased, but the rink. … We had 13,000 people the other night. For playing minor league hockey, that’s one of the coolest possible things you can do. Hockey is one of the most passionate things in my life, and there’s nothing better than playing at home in front of a huge crowd knowing everyone has your back.
Name someone who inspires you, and tell us why.
I’m going to have to go with my dad Mike on that one. Everything I’ve learned from my dad I’ve learned through hockey — he’s been my hockey coach my whole life. He’s one of my best friends and the same is true for my mom. Learning those life lessons through hockey was a lot easier than being yelled at when I was in trouble. He’s been there every step of the way, my entire career, and been nothing but encouraging. It’s something I can’t ever repay him for, and I can’t put into words how thankful I am that he was there for me growing up. He’s worn my jersey to every game since I started playing in college.
What motto or phrase do you live your life by?
That’s easy, my dad has stressed this forever: The only thing you’re going to get out of anything is what you put into it. And that holds true in every aspect of life for me. It’s something I try to live by and instill to anyone who wants to listen, especially the kids we work with. It’s the best thing my dad has ever taught me. ©
This article appears in Feb 5-11, 2014.
