Community Spotlight: EAA Volunteer Driven by His Desire to See Positive Change

A father of three, Eagan resident Dean Kraus knows all too well how quickly children grow up.

"It’s a short window of time that you get to be a part of your kid's life," Kraus said. "I'd feel bad if I sat at home and my kids were out doing something."

Which is why Kraus got involved as a volunteer the Eagan Athletic Association. Over the course of a decade, he has coached soccer, baseball, basketball, lacrosse and football—all so he could spend time with his children and impact the lives of others in the program. In that time, Kraus also served as a sports director and board member for the association.

His dedication to the organization has earned the admiration of other members of the Eagan sports community, including Tim Czaja, who nominated Kraus last month for Eagan Patch's Community Spotlight recognition.

"I personally cannot thank Dean (and his family) enough for all of the time, effort, and leadership he's volunteered to our community these past years as EAA Director of Football," Czaja wrote in his nomination. "He had a vision to make football fun, safe, and inclusive for any 3rd-8th grade Eagan kid that wanted to play, and invested all of the time necessary (and then some) to make that vision come true."

Kraus' involvement in the athletic association began in 2001, when his son was a kindergartner enrolled in the EAA's soccer program. After three years, Kraus became the EAA's baseball director. Then, five years later, he took the helm of  the association's football program.

In his role as the football director, Kraus implemented "dramatic changes" to the football rules and new player training programs, Czaja said. When School District 196 cut football from the middle school activity list, Kraus helped organize a new EAA football league with nearby cities to ensure that seventh- and eight-graders could continue to play, according to Czaja.

Kraus, who played sports throughout his youth, recently retired from his work with the EAA.

He says his faith and desire to be a good servant drove him to volunteer. Equally important were his relationships with other parents and players enrolled in the association.

"Everyobody plays a part in someone's life, and just tyring to be a part of someone's life in a positive way is what drives me," Kraus said.

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