By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
Name: Broderick Van Den Heuvel
Parents: Tara and Ronald Van Den Heuvel
Activity: Hockey
Broderick ‘Brody’ Van Den Heuvel is a senior goaltender for the De Pere Voyageurs hockey team, which co-ops with De Pere/West De Pere High Schools.
He is currently 9-4-2 on the season with a goals-against average of just over two.
Van Den Heuvel has over 390 saves and four shutouts on the season.
His goal is to play Division I hockey for UW-Madison and major in psychology.
Can your last name be spelled multiple ways? “No (laughing). It’s spelled differently at stadiums, on programs and on multiple online sites, but it is spelled with three capital letters and is Van Den Heuvel.”
What is it like to be a leader on the Voyageurs hockey team? “It’s certainly not easy. It’s hard for me to see them make the same mistakes I made and to stay patient, but it’s an honor to have my teammates look up to me for game and life advice. It is very rewarding and well worth my time and efforts.”
What is your most embarrassing moment ever in hockey? “Giving up an on-the-ice goal from the blue line because I misjudged my position in the net.”
What is your most memorable moment? “It has to be winning state with my team in squirts, with a close second being facing off against my brother my freshman year. He was in net for Notre Dame as a senior, and I was in net for De Pere.”
What’s the hardest part about performing in a hockey game? “Staying humble, in control and keeping good game pace.”
If you could be somebody for a day, who would it be? “Braden Holtby. He’s my favorite NHL goalie.”
What is your routine before a big game starts? “Arrive at the rink two hours early in a suit and tie, hang-out for a little bit while I tape my stick, sharpen my skates and then put on my warm-ups. I juggle some tennis balls to get my reflexes going, go for a jog and run through my game-day stretches, get suited up and give my team a pre-game speech.”
Do you have a nickname or something a teammate calls you during a game? “Brodes, Brodemyster or even just goalie. Back when I was in youth hockey, they called me ‘Spiderman’ or ‘The Tasmanian Devil.’”
What is one thing that other teammates or coaches don’t know about you? “My first word was ‘cheese’ when my family and I were smiling.”
What would your dream job be once you graduate? “My dream would be to play in the NHL among the greats. My back-up would be to be a psychiatrist working with PTSD patients.”
What are your hobbies? “I love to skateboard, longboard, snowboard, wakeboard, lift weights, go on hikes with my two Burmese Mountain dogs and play guitar and bass. I don’t like to sit around much.”
What is your favorite event ever attended? “A Weezer concert with my dad in Tinley Park, Illinois. It was awesome because my dad and I listen to the same music even though we’re 20-some years apart.”
What is your favorite thing to do on your phone? “Look at memes.”
What three words describe you? “Well-rounded, ambitious, active.”
What is your favorite trip ever taken? “Disney World. My family loves to go there whenever we can. It’s always a blast.”
What is your favorite NHL team? “The Detroit Red Wings. That’s always been my team of choice since the first video games of NHL 06.”
What is your favorite hockey move in a game? “Two-pad stack, because nothing beats the classics.”
What is your desired location (city, state, or country) to go to a hockey game anywhere in the world?
“Redwings against the Blackhawks, in Chicago.”
If you could do one thing during a game, what would it be? “A hard check on an opposing player because that raises team morale.”
Favorites
Food: Fettuccine alfredo
Color: Blue
TV Show: “Adventure Time”
Holiday: Thanksgiving
Season: Winter