It is memories of a selfless gesture by a transplanted factory worker from Montreal that began to lay the foundation for Rick Rivers’ desire to make a difference in his lifetime. Tony Proulx, alone, turned a scrubby vacant lot adjacent to his place of employ into a playing field for the young people in Rick’s neighbourhood. Rick and his friends, forever grateful to Tony, played softball there in the spring and football in the fall.

As time moved on, Rick would meet three individuals who offered him their wise counsel that would help him objectively develop the traits that define him as a person today – Bernie Custis, Neil MacVicar and Jim Gowen. Bernie, his football coach in Burlington, possessed a relaxed demeanour, a great appreciation of the human condition, and a brilliant football mind. Neil, the vice-principal at Cornwallis Junior High, loved to share his philosophy of athletics and physical education with Rick. Jim, a retired writer for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, was like a grandfather to Rick. Many of Rick’s noon hours were spent listening to Jim recount his memories of life in Nova Scotia, about politics, sports, the arts, or his fondest topic, rowing on the North West Arm, the basis of a thesis that earned Rick his first Masters degree. Rick has long believed that “there is no other sport that compares to football in developing character. The game teaches discipline, teamwork, accountability, confidence and physical fitness.

Football is a microcosm of life. It is important that we give something back. To involve yourself in something you love and to pass on a great thing to our young people reaps rewards far beyond financial.” Rick’s unwavering adherence to these principles has been recognized for more than 40 years by the football community, especially members of the governing bodies of football across Canada. In a fitting tribute, the Board of Directors of Football Nova Scotia created “The Rick Rivers Lifetime Achievement Award”, as a symbol of his undying commitment to the sport. Rick was the first to receive this award, humbly accepting it in 2008. A year later, Rick was selected a member of the first class of inductees of the Football Nova Scotia Hall of Fame.

The scope of Rick’s involvement is vast. During his 32 years as a teacher at junior and senior high schools, he imparted his message about the value of sport and physical fitness to thousands of students. He worked tirelessly at the grass root levels of football, his dogged perseverance resulting in the creation of successful youth and school football programs. Rick was a major influence in founding the Provincial Elite programs for athletes under the ages of 19, 17 and 15. From their inception, these teams would become very competitive in inter-provincial and national competitions, with some of the coaches who trained these athletes being taught by Rick. He is a Master Course Conductor and has directed clinics for many of the active football coaches today. One of his finest moments came at a Football Canada meeting when he planted the seed that grew into the Canada Cup. Rick was a tournament administrator in 2010 at Acadia University. Nova Scotia’s Canada Cup teams, with Rick as coach, and general manager, won a silver medal in 2004 and a bronze in 2005.

Rick’s love of sports began at a very early age. Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Rick dreamed of one day playing for his hometown Tiger Cats. As a first-time spectator at Civic Stadium with one of the ‘Cats staunch supporters, his father Bill, little did young Rick know that he would indeed realize his dream. As quarterback, Rick led the Burlington Braves to conference, Ontario and Eastern Canadian championships and a berth in the Canadian Junior championships in 1967. The following year, Rick was invited to the Tiger Cat training camp, where he practiced and played alongside many of his heroes. Unfortunately Rick was among the last cuts, but was placed on the practice roster and lived his dream for the entire season. Rick has also contributed to football as an on-field official, clinician, educator, organizer, announcer, fundraiser, auctioneer, and even as a consultant on the film “Scotland, PA”, in 2000. In summarizing Rick’s many achievements, however, Richard Munro, the former CEO of Football Canada and long-time friend, said, “Rick brings reasoned and principled expertise to his contributions …. “

In 1969, he came to Halifax and Dalhousie University, where he studied, built a home and career, and helped develop a football community of which he is proud and that is proud of him. Rick’s passion for football spiked again this fall and he can be found patrolling the sidelines of Wickwire Field coaching the resurrected Dalhousie Tiger’s Football Club.

Bio Courtesy of Bob Lewington