RICK COLEMAN TO BE INDUCTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

A person familiar to many with the University of Calgary Dinos football program, Rick Coleman, will be inducted into the University of Calgary Athletic Hall of Fame 2022 class in the builder category.

Coleman has been a builder in many ways. After an outstanding playing career from 1971 to 1975, “Curly” as he is known to many, turned to coaching, and was a pillar with the formation of the Dinos 5th Quarter Alumni Association. His footprints are over the Dinos program even today. He coached for 24 years, not consecutively, and has been involved with the program in some capacity for nearly 50 years through playing, coaching or involvement with the 5th Quarter.

A member of the 1975 Dinosaurs (that is what they were then) team that lost in the Vanier Cup to the University of Ottawa, Coleman started coaching the defensive line the following year. He was a member of the coaching staff for a trio of Vanier Cup victories (1983, 1985, and 1988). He was the position coach for Scott MacArthur, Stu Laird, Al Wood, Rob Furlan, Rob Prodanovic, and current defensive line coach and former Canadian Football League star, Kent Warnock and many more defensive line players.

Away from the football field Coleman was one of the driving forces in 1984 behind the formation of the Dinos 5th Quarter Alumni Association that is regarded as one of, if not, the premier university football alumni association in Canada.

Coleman has the unique distinction of playing or being a volunteer coach with each Head Coach in the history of program. Rick played for and coached with the first and second coaches of the program, Dr. Dennis Kadatz and Mike Lashuk. He coached with previous Head Coaches Peter Connellan and Tony Fasano. He also coached former Head Coach Blake Nill, and was on staff when current Head Coach Wayne Harris played from 1977 to 1981 and later coached with him.

He was the recipient of the Gary Hobson Memorial Award in 1977 by Football Alberta as Volunteer Coach of the Year. Coleman received a Calgary Booster Club Leadership Award and Distinguished Alumni Award by the Dinos 5th Quarter in 1989. In 2007, together with his wife, Jan, received Connellan Family Team Award for their overall contribution to the program.

“Rick’s passion for Dinos football is unmatched. His contribution as a player, coach and builder for Dinos football provides a strong role model for other to follows,” states Harris. “There is nothing more valuable than time, and Rick Coleman has contributed his time and effort in abundance,” he stated.

Coleman graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Education degrees. He taught school with the Calgary Board of Education, and will be inducted on October 13. He becomes the third builder connected with the football program to enter the U of C Athletic Hall of Fame joining the founder of the program and first Head Coach, Dr. Dennis Kadatz and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee and builder, legendary coach Peter Connellan.