Bill Plante began his
Physical Education teaching
and coaching career at
Salmon River in the year
1979 and it carried on some
30 plus years.
The coaching records began
to pile up starting in Coach
Plante's first year as his
Hockey Team won the NAC
League and Section 10
Playoff Championships.
Then on to the 1st ever
played New York State Hockey
title held in the Hockey
Capitol of America - Lake
Placid, NY.
Being crowned the 1st State
Champions led to many more
state, sectional, and league
titles.
Coach Plante holds the
"record" for the most wins
in New York State High
School Hockey history with
over 550 plus, and hopes to
someday top the 600 plateau.
Bill also holds the "record"
for the most State
Championships ever won in
New York State.
With a combination of about
38 Hockey League and
Sectional Playoff
Championships under his
belt, Coach Plante also had
an undefeated 4-0 trip to
Sweden and Finland during the
1988-89 season. At
least 5 of his teams will be
inducted into the New York
State High School Hockey
Coaches Association Hall of
Fame in Lake Placid, with 3
being there already.
Also, in the first 3 years
of the Salmon River Hall of
Fame, 3 of his teams have
been inducted, with many
more to follow. His
son Marc played here for him
all 4 of his high school
years and served as a
Captain and became an
All-Star NAC player, as well
as an All-State Player.
Marc was also inducted into
the Shamrock "Athletic Wall
of Honor."
NY State Rankings were
always showered upon Coach
Plante's teams every year of
his coaching tenure, with a
"record" five of them
finishing the season #1.
Thirteen of those teams were
Nationally Ranked, with the
2000-2001 team being the
highest ranked NY State
Public School ever at #4 in
the U.S.A. This team
is also being inducted this
year into the Salmon River
Athletic Hall of Fame with
an All-Time record of 27-2.
Bill is the co-founder of
the New York State HS Hockey
Coaches Association which is
responsible for All-State
selections,
All-Tournament selections at
the States, Hall of Fame
selections and was very
influential in securing Lake
Placid as the site for the
Hall of Fame.
The New Hartford-Utica
native also owned and worked
at some of the best hockey
schools in the country,
including seminars and
clinics. Bill also
coached youth sports such as
Little League Baseball,
Minor Hockey, and Pop Warner
Football. He also
directed Youth All-Sports
and Outdoor Camps.
Coach Plante worked in Major
Jr. "A" hockey and Tier II
Jr. "A" in Canada.
Before coming to Salmon
River he had already gained
professional experience
working for the Toronto Blue
Jays, both in the Minor
Leagues and at the highest
level. Some of his
playing-coaching days at the
Semi-pro level landed some
of his teammates in the
Major Leagues.
Since the beginning, nine
years ago, Coach
Plante has been an active
member of the Eastern Door
and the North Team competing
at the National Aboriginal
Hockey Championships winning
a number of Gold, Silver and
Bronze Medals.
"Team Quebec" has been
highly successful.
They have always been in the
"Medal" rounds, including a
Gold Medal Championship in 2007.
