LA MIRADA, Calif. --- If you have attended a Biola soccer game sometime in the past six years, you have probably witnessed the action of its outspoken, number one fan—Uncle Dan. With his giant flags, noisemakers, megaphone and hundreds of hand-written cheers, Uncle Dan is hard to miss.
 
Uncle Dan, a retired firefighter, first started attending Biola soccer games when his nephew Joey O'Keefe was a freshman on the team. O'Keefe, who was named GSAC Player of the Year and an NAIA first-team All American during his career at Biola, knew that he could not have accomplished all that he did without the help of his teammates—and so did Uncle Dan.
 
"Joey was a great player and he made some awesome plays, but he was successful because of these guys and I think he knew that," said Uncle Dan. "I've made the commitment to keep coming until all the guys on that team graduate because of what they helped Joey accomplish."
 
That is why, after all these years and despite the 120-mile roundtrip it takes for him to get here, Uncle Dan is still Biola's most faithful cheerleader. Believe it or not, Uncle Dan has been to every single soccer game in the past six years except for five weeks in 2015 when he was serving jury duty.
 
Although he is often seen cheering alone at games, his name has reached fans and game-watchers in other countries. More than once Uncle Dan has received emails and handshakes from people who have heard his cheers through their speakers while watching the soccer games on TV. One of these people is the father of Kousei Mattox, a junior midfielder from Yokohama, Japan and one of the last athletes Uncle Dan is seeing through the graduation finish line.
 
Uncle Dan admits that most people probably view him as eccentric and even over the top. These days, he says he rarely gets thanked for any of his efforts. But, despite peoples' first impressions, he is more than just a man with a megaphone. He is a man with a vision.
 
What Uncle Dan really wants to see happen at Biola is the creation of what he calls a "service club" for all Biola sports. This would be a group of 15-20 students that commit to being at every sporting event and do what he does—cheer for their team.
 
To Uncle Dan, supporting Biola is more than just being loud and showing pride in the school, it is about honoring all the time and effort the student-athletes have put into their sport. That is why Uncle Dan is such an integral part of the Biola University community. Through his cheers he carries out the words painted on the inside of Biola's gym: "Above all, give glory to God."
 
"If you take the mindset of it being service, it's doable," said Uncle Dan. "Everything we do is unto the Lord. One guy can't do much except have a vision. If you have support you can make a difference. I want the students to own it. They can make it fun and turn it into something they want."
 
Uncle Dan, who has dozens of bells, whistles and other noisemakers said he would be happy to donate all of his equipment to students willing to carry on his torch of supporting Biola athletics.
 
Even with the end of his cheering career in sight, there is still time to fan the flame that he has ignited, spreading it throughout all of Biola Athletics. While Uncle Dan does not see his cheering as a spiritual matter, he does believe that at a Christian university like Biola, people are called to love and serve one another.
 
"Playing sports costs something, but you do it for the greater cause. I made a promise to myself and I'm doing this because of that," he said. "My long-term goal is to start something that can support all the sports at Biola and that the students can build upon. It would require people to put in time and effort like the athletes do, but I think God would honor that."

You have a chance to join Uncle Dan in cheering on Biola Soccer here at home two more times this season. The Eagles host California Baptist Oct. 23 and Point Loma on Oct. 28.