June 14, 2022

Chateau named CCAA Athletic Director of Year

Ray Chateau of Humber College has been named the 2022 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Athletic Director of the Year.

Chateau received the award at the 2022 CCAA Hall of Fame Banquet in Halifax, NS.

The CCAA award recognizes administrative excellence within the campus or college community environment. This award also recognizes an Athletic Director who has made a significant contribution to their institution over the past academic year.

After a season that presented Humber Athletics – and the rest of the country – with challenges never seen before, Chateau was the pillar that helped the Hawks maintain their unparalleled athletic and academic success.

After the pandemic wiped out the entire 2020-21 season, Chateau and his team graciously hosted two CCAA Championships in 2021-22. In addition, Humber hosted Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) conference championships in Cross-Country Running and Men’s Basketball. Chateau also recently submitted the Hawks’ bid to host the 2023 CCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship.

“The work that Ray has done with Humber College has always been commendable,” said Vince Amato, CCAA President. “But coming out of our COVID lockdowns, his leadership was an integral part of the CCAA being able to offer national championships after the forced hiatus, with Humber hosting two CCAA Championships in what can only be described as a very challenging year.”

Humber hosted the 2021 CCAA Women’s Soccer National Championship as well as the 2022 CCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship. In addition, Hawks teams qualified for Nationals in Men’s Soccer, Women’s Basketball, Men’s Volleyball and Women’s Volleyball.

After earning gold in CCAA Men’s Soccer, the Hawks were then crowned national champions on home court in CCAA Men’s Basketball. Overall, Humber won eight CCAA medals (five gold, two silver, one bronze) and 22 provincial medals (11 gold, six silver, five bronze).

This season, the Hawks also had one CCAA Player of the Year and eight CCAA All-Canadians. In addition, Humber earned its second straight CCAA Academic All-Canadian Recognition Award, with 15 CCAA Academic All-Canadian selections in 2021-22.

Beyond the success on the field and court, Chateau acted as a leader both provincially and nationally with respect to return to sport decisions, processes and protocols.

As a member of the OCAA Senior Leadership Council, Chateau was influential in ensuring that there would be a 2022 OCAA winter season. With the OCAA on the cusp of cancelling the season, the OCAA Past President played an important role in getting other institutions to buy-in for a season, stating the important role athletics plays on the mental health of student-athletes.

“Through countless meetings, Ray was part of the OCAA team responsible for developing and implementing unique, covid-related policies as well as being a key decision-maker on behalf of the entire membership,” said Kyle Pelly, Executive Director at the OCAA. “Through all of this, Ray’s primary objective never faltered; to ensure student-athletes were provided sport opportunities.”

In addition to his role at Humber, Chateau is a chartered professional coach and the director of operations for Redmond of the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA) prep basketball league. He is also the president of Etobicoke basketball, where due to a staff shortage because of the pandemic, he ran the house league for 700-plus kids.

“Over the past year, Ray has demonstrated the qualities and dedication that is needed to lead at the local, provincial, and national level routinely going above and beyond to promote sport, be a mentor to colleagues and staff, innovate, encourage inclusion in sport, and give back,” said Ian Crookshank, Dean of Student at Humber College.

Chateau, along with June Lumsden of Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), are the first ever co-recipients of the CCAA’s Athletic Director of the Year Award, which has been presented annually since 2000.