Michigan senior hockey player Blake Sloan was named the winner of the 1997 Hockey Humanitarian Award, given annually by a Boston-based group to "college hockey's finest citizen."
Sloan is the second recipient of the award, which the Hockey Humanitarian Foundation gives "to honor positive role models for today's youth."
Sloan, a defenseman and assistant co-captain for the Wolverines, has received attention in recent weeks for his off-ice contributions to the community.
His activities include the SHARE Program, in which he has read to Ann Arbor elementary school children. He was also a participant in the DARE program, speaking against drugs and violence.
Sloan served as co-chair of an October 1996 fundraiser which helped raise more than $10,000 for paralyzed Boston University hockey player Travis Roy. Part of the proceeds also went to help University of Michigan Medical Center patients with spinal cord injuries.
He says his most rewarding activities, however, have been the trips with his teammates to visit sick youngsters at C.S. Mott's Children's Hospital.
"That's one of the most gratifying trips," Sloan says. "I can't say that I enjoy it, really, but it definitely puts you in a humble state. It just puts everything in perspective when you see others less fortunate than you, and it's just a way to give something back."
Members of the Hockey Humanitarian Foundation will present Sloan with the award before Friday night's 7 p.m. hockey game at Yost Ice Arena.
Sloan was initially chosen as one of five finalists from the 13 original nominees. The Hockey Humanitarians board then selected Sloan as the winner.
Other finalists included Michael Corbett, a senior from the University of Denver who is married with two children; Mike Noble, senior captain at Brown University; April Zenisky, a senior on the Amherst College women's ice hockey team; and senior Shawn Zimmerman of Western Michigan.
Michigan coach Red Berenson says Sloan is a deserving recipient.
"Blake is the last person in the world to tell you he's doing these things," Berenson says. "He's just a good kid, and it's nice to see he's receiving some recognition, because he really gives a lot back to the community."
For his part, Sloan says he won't let the extra attention blur the original intentions of his off-ice commitments.
"It's a very nice honor, but I'm really not in it for the recognition," Sloan says. "It's just something that I enjoy doing and it's something that I will always do."