Dustin Sproat [STATS]
* Executive Director of HP4K
“From playing juniors in Alberta, to NCAA at Princeton University, to minor pro in Fresno and Cincinnati, I’ve been extremely fortunate to meet some unbelievably dedicated and talented people.
Putting my engineering career on hold to return to playing hockey, I made a commitment to myself that I would get involved in the community as much as possible. I was surprised at how enthusiastic others were to be a part of the things I was doing, and how easy it was to get support from local youth organizations, professional hockey organizations, and other players on the team.
I shopped around the idea of forming a service-oriented network to some of my hockey buddies, and all of the most exceptional people I had gotten to know over the years were the first to jump on board. We have the right group of people in place, we’re gathering greater support all the time, and we’re excited to say that we’re making a difference in children’s lives.”
Hometown: Red Deer, Alberta
Hockey Experience: Drayton Valley Thunder, AJHL (1999-2000); Princeton University (2002-05); Reading Royals, ECHL (2005-06); Fresno Falcons, ECHL (2008); Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL (2008-10)
Born and raised in Red Deer, Alberta, Dustin moved to the small town of Drayton Valley to play junior hockey after high school. Dustin was a major part of the Thunder’s 2002 AJHL Championship season. He moved on to play at Princeton University, where he graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree in 2006. Dustin hung up the skates from 2006-2008 to work as a Chemical Engineer and Project Manager for Keyera Energy in Calgary, and decided in 2008 that a hockey comeback was in order.
In March 2009, Dustin brought together what would become HP4K’s co-founders and made the decision to form a formal nonprofit organization. He spends much of his time following, promoting and encouraging HP4K activities, as well as initiating community service projects in Cincinnati.
This year, Dustin and his fellow Cyclones players are volunteering their time at local YMCA and Boys and Girls Club afterschool programs, the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and the Ronald McDonald House. Dustin also helped HP4K partner with the Children’s Hunger Alliance and the Cincinnati Amateur Hockey Association to host a Pond Hockey Fundraiser in December 2009. Dustin is very excited about becoming a part of the Cincinnati community and helping other hockey players find their own passion for volunteering.
