Legacy beyond the ice: Dave Eccleston retires as men’s hockey head coach

By Fernando Bossoes

Humber Hawks Extramural Men’s Hockey head coach Dave Eccleston is retiring after five years with the program.  That’s a name that will be forever etched in the Ontario Collegiate Recreation (OCR) — and for a few reasons.

Across the province, Eccleston’s teams made Humber the team to beat.  With a dominant 83-4-9 career record, 17 tournament championships, four regional titles and three provincial championships, programs were always underdogs against the Hawks.

But to those inside the locker room and throughout Humber Athletics, Eccleston will always be remembered for far more than his impact on the ice.  

The decision to coach Humber was a no-brainer. The opportunity to coach his sons for one last time played a major role. He would go on to coach his son Justin for three seasons.  From the moment he arrived, Eccleston wanted to make Humber a top destination for extramural hockey. But to build a successful team, he believed in building it around strong people.  “I always started out my teams selecting people who were good human beings besides good players,” Eccleston said.

Assistant coach Andrei Romanytchev saw this transformation firsthand.  Romanytchev played for Eccleston at Seneca and later joined him behind the bench at Humber. Wanting to give back to the game, he knew he could learn from Eccleston’s passion for both the sport and his players.  Romanytchev said Eccleston’s influence reached beyond the rink.

“He’s always asking about how my family is; he is approachable and always a good person to talk to about anything,” Rommanytchev said. “He’s a genuine guy; can’t say enough good things about him.”

That culture quickly translated into success, but it also helped elevate the program itself.  Under Eccleston, Hawks hockey saw over 100 players attending open tryouts in recent years. He pushed for new ideas, introduced the Annual Outdoor Classic and lived by one clear philosophy.  “My dad always taught me: Try to leave a place better than when you got there. That’s always been my philosophy,” Eccleston said.

That standard applied to everyone, including his son Justin. Justin said he never received any handouts and there were no shortcuts.  “That was a good learning experience for hockey but also for life,” Justin said.  That same care and accountability extended to the rest of the team. Justin said Eccleston was the same person as both a father and head coach, and that approach played a key role in the team environment and success.

“Having my dad coach me was pretty special and winning all those games and tournaments is something I will cherish,” Justin said.

As much as the records and championships defined the program from outside, the Eccleston legacy is the culture he built and the people he impacted along the way.  A culture built on relationships and an unstoppable desire to always raise the standard.

“Thanks to all the unsung people behind the scenes. They don’t get the outspokenness of the coach, but all those people matter,” Eccleston said.  “I just hope whoever comes after me just keeps pushing to make it the best it could be.”