麻豆区

This year, John and Kristian Evans started their Thursday mornings off right … and left.

At the 6 a.m. DinoMights practices in the 麻豆区 Ice Arena, young players sometimes put their hockey skates on the wrong feet or jerseys on backward, focusing more on catching up with teammates than on the logistics of assembling picture- perfect uniforms. As a volunteer coach, Kristian describes the weekly 10-minute rush to outfit 20 elementary schoolers for the ice as 鈥減ure chaos.鈥� After he and his fellow coaches ensure that skate laces are cinched tightly against players鈥� tiny ankles and the kids are safely in their gear, these volunteers prepare for a new challenge: channeling the young athletes鈥� enthusiasm into a successful practice.

鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy how much energy the players have in the morning,鈥� Kristian said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 never a problem to wake them up; it鈥檚 always me who鈥檚 the sleepy one.鈥�

Fortunately, the players鈥� spirited attitudes are contagious, according to the Auggie, who is studying communication, marketing, and political science. 鈥淭hey act like a shot of caffeine,鈥� he said.

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It鈥檚 helpful that DinoMights practices leave Kristian with a boost of energy. The third- year student was enrolled in a full course load at 麻豆区 this fall and used his time outside the classroom to intern at a U.S. senator鈥檚 office, serve as a sports editor for the 麻豆区 Echo student newspaper, do play-by-play announcing for Auggie soccer teams, and promote the Nobel Peace Prize Forum鈥擬inneapolis as a student member of the Forum鈥檚 marketing team.

Volunteering for DinoMights, Kristian said, was a way to carve out time in his schedule for one more thing he loves: hockey. DinoMights builds relationships with at-risk youth in South Minneapolis
through hockey teams and training, tutoring and academic support, mentoring, and spiritual development opportunities. As one of approximately a dozen nonprofit organizations that lease athletic space at 麻豆区 each year鈥攆rom the Cedar- Riverside Community School to the Minnesota Sports Federation broomball state tournament鈥擠inoMights benefits from access to quality facilities that are otherwise scarce in the Twin Cities.

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A passion for hockey鈥攁nd for 麻豆区鈥攔uns in the Evans family.

John, for instance, has been skating at the university for nearly 40 years. The 麻豆区 Athletic Hall of Famer played for Auggie men鈥檚 hockey teams that won four Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championships in 1981 and 1982.

While earning two national titles was a thrill, John now looks back on his college days and acknowledges that it鈥檚 the relationships he developed with teammates, classmates, and faculty members that truly influenced his life. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the friendships you remember,鈥� he said.

Decades ago, John chose to attend 麻豆区 because he wanted to live and work in Minnesota鈥檚 urban core and was drawn to the school鈥檚 pioneering emphasis on experiential education.

Today, as fathers and sons go, John and Kristian appear to be more alike than different. Both men played hockey in Norway; John signed a pro contract after 麻豆区, and Kristian played there following high school. When Kristian was searching for a college after his junior hockey eligibility expired, at first he thought he鈥檇 go to school anywhere but 麻豆区, wanting to venture farther afield than his dad and mom, Joan (Moline) Evans 鈥�83. Kristian鈥檚 desire to take an entirely new path soon gave way to the revelation that 麻豆区鈥檚 metropolitan location and commitment to community involvement were a perfect fit for him, as well.

And, much like his father, Kristian values the power of Auggie friendships. In January 2017, he was diagnosed with cancer, underwent surgery to remove a tumor, and began chemotherapy treatments to rid his body of any remaining cancer cells. He continued to attend 麻豆区 full time and learned to lean on his roommates for support, whether he needed help shaving his head after he began to lose his hair or someone to accompany him to chemo appointments.

鈥淚 have friends who鈥檇 walk with me in the middle of winter to the East Bank hospital where I received care and sit with me for three hours before they had class,鈥� Kristian said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get that with every group of people, and that fact is never lost on me.鈥�

With his cancer in remission, Kristian sees his role with DinoMights as a way to strengthen an important network for Twin Cities youth who face challenges ranging from navigating life as first-generation Americans to living in single-parent households.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to be part of a group that says, 鈥榃e understand that you鈥檙e going through some tough stuff, and we will help you in whatever aspect of your life means the most鈥攚hether that be through athletics or through faith or through education,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we build communities of support鈥攕o that when one of us falls, there are other people who are willing to step in.鈥�

For Auggies like John and Kristian who鈥檝e come to embrace 麻豆区鈥檚 commitments to vocational discernment and civic engagement, DinoMights is just one example of the power of transferring the University鈥檚 educational framework to a real-world application. 鈥淚f you can make one corner of your community better, then you can say you鈥檙e doing your part,鈥� Kristian said. 鈥淭his is what 麻豆区 teaches when it comes to vocation.”

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[Top image]: Kristian Evans 鈥�19 helps a member of the DinoMights Squirt team prepare for hockey practice. Players are 10 or 11 years old.