Coralville, Iowa – When you speak with Heartlanders forward Yuki Miura, you get the sense his impact in Iowa has stretched far beyond the ice. He’s done it all for three seasons with his signature smile, hard-working mentality, and selflessness that eastern Iowans have come to embrace.

Throughout the summer Miura and Heartlanders captain Kevin McKernan spent much of their “off-time” on the ice at the Coral Ridge Mall, teaching hockey camps and skating camps to prepare the “first generation” of future Heartlanders players.

The two Heartlanders aided Head Coach Derek Damon to develop foundational hockey skills and a love for the game among hundreds of youth players in Iowa City.

“It was so fun to see and play together with the kids, they always make me laugh,” Miura said of the experience. “That was the big thing I wanted to do this summer.”

Yuki and his wife decided to spend their summer in Coralville instead of returning to their home in Toyko, Japan. This has happened, in part, because of Miura’s love for our local community.

“Even when you’re driving or walking, people are very nice to you,” Miura said. “Even if you don’t know someone walking to you, they’re going to say hello. It’s great.”

Miura has also found a slice of “home” more than 6,100 miles away from his native Toyko; he and his wife have grown close with a group of a few dozen Japanese-speaking Iowa City residents. This November, Miura put his teaching skills to the test at the University of Iowa, serving as a guest lecturer for an advanced Japanese language class. All part of the experience of becoming a community staple.

Just as he has embraced eastern Iowa, Miura feels a growing sense the community has started to embrace the Heartlanders in even greater numbers in year 3.

“I feel the Landers are getting known. I believe it’s going to be better and bigger year by year, so we just have to keep doing small things that make huge impacts for the next couple of years.”