May 19, 2022

CCAA Hall of Fame Inductee: Rick Plato

Rick Plato, the long-time Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) Mystics coach who guided the Men’s Basketball team for a quarter century, was inducted into the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Hall of Fame in the Coach Category.

Plato led the Mystics to 13 Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Championship titles and 14 appearances at CCAA Championships – earning CCAA silver in 2008 and bronze in 1993.

He took on a fledgling program at MSVU in 1988, accepting the challenge to forge his own career and went on to coach the Mystics for 25 years, posting a 555-221 record.

“I believe his love of the game, his commitment to excellence and his ability to teach and coach are the cornerstones of his success,” said June Lumsden, Director, Athletics & Recreation at MSVU. “Coach Plato literally built the program himself, starting his first season with a 4-12 record to becoming one of the most successful basketball programs in the history of the ACAA.”

Plato, a 13-time ACAA Coach of the Year, was named the CCAA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year in 2008.

He has an admirable gift to teach and share his innate understanding of the game and in addition to the impact he had on his players at MSVU, Plato also taught thousands of young players through the numerous camps he led throughout the years.

“He has mentored and motivated so many of his past players to coach and give back to their communities,” said Lumsden. “To this day, it is absolutely inspiring to see how many Mount varsity basketball alumni are sharing their love and knowledge of the game at every level of the game, in this province and throughout the country.”

Plato’s fondest memories of his time in the ACAA and CCAA are his student-athletes and the opportunity he had to help shape and mold young impressionable teenagers who came to MSVU right out of high school.

“The many successes that our student-athletes experienced together on the court, the hard work and dedication to a common goal and the lifelong relationships that so many of my former players have developed with one another are a few of the fondest memories that I look at with so much satisfaction and are what matters most to me,” said Plato.

All the more gratifying for Plato is the fact that he was able to do so with his wife Andrea by his side. Much of the team’s success, he believes, would not have been possible without his spouse and team manager.

“Our teams were like families and really, the secret of our success was the family and team chemistry which really, in many instances, even today, has been one of the most integral components to our success.”

Plato believes that the lessons his student-athletes learned in both surviving the tough losses while experiencing and appreciating the sacrifices needed to succeed, embody the values and beliefs which they so prudently and successfully use today in their adult lives.

“On so many occasions, watching their tears, both of heartbreak and joy, made me realize that what we do as coaches, teachers and mentors really matters,” said Plato, the current Head Coach at Dalhousie University (U Sports). “The thought and reflection on those many instances, continue to validate, for me, the extraordinary journey of my 25 years at MSVU.”

Along the way, Plato had the opportunity to coach hard working and dedicated players who bought into what he was preaching. He also had the privilege, as it would turn out, to mentor many players who have become great coaches in their own right.

“In all cases, mine as well, the Mount, ACAA and CCAA have allowed all of us to give back in a positive way and by doing so, I could not be more grateful or humbled by what I have been permitted to do,” said Plato.

The 2022 CCAA Hall of Fame Banquet will take place on Tuesday, June 14 in Halifax, NS.