Football - First Team FML Honoree, Team Captain (1972), Second Team all County

Wrestling - First Team FML Honoree, District Champion, Regional Finalist, State Qualifier (1973), and Genesse County Class B All Star Team

Baseball - First Team FML Honoree

Awarded the Livings Brother Award for the Top Senior Scholar-Athlete

HHS Class of 1973

Don Pluta attended Holly HS and competed year round earning 1st team FML All-League honors each season. Don was captain of the football team his senior year and set a school record of 5.8 yards per carry. He was voted second team all county. In the winter, Don could be found in the wrestling room. His record his senior year was 38-6. To his credit he added one district title, a second place regional finish and was a state meet qualifier. He was selected to the Genesse county all-star class B team. Baseball was his spring sport. Don finished his career with a .322 batting average. He had a golden glove at 2nd base…he committed no errors 78 chances during the 26 games the team played. His senior year he was awarded the prestigious Livings Brother Award that is given to the top senior scholar-athlete.

Don attended Western Michigan University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and English. Holly was never far from his heart and he returned as soon as he graduated. He began his successful teaching career the following year. In 1997 he was honored as the Michigan Alternative Education Teacher of the Year.

Coaching has always been a passion for Coach Pluta. He has coached football for 31 years, softball for six years and baseball for four years. He took the helm of our varsity wrestling program in 1983, after serving four years as the assistant coach. Over the course of his tremendous 34 year career as varsity coach, his teams have achieved six Flint Metro League titles, ten MHSAA district titles and three MHSAA regional titles. Three of his teams have qualified for the MHSAA Team State Finals. His teams are not only good, but they are good sports. Voted on by the other FML coaches, our team has been given the FML sportsmanship award 10 times. This exemplifies that Coach teaches his athletes to win with class. Additionally, many of Coach Pluta’s wrestlers have earned individual honors. Holly HS has produced nine state champions and 48 state placers.

At the beginning of the 2017-18 season, Coach Pluta had already compiled 628 career victories. He has been named the Michigan Wrestling Coaches Association regional coach of the year eight times. In 1998, he was honored when the Oakland County Referees Association named him Sportsman of the Year. In 2005, he was named the Oakland County coach of the year. Don has also been named Flint Metro League Coach of the Year once. Don has served the coaches in Oakland County during his tenure (1995-1998) as the President of the Oakland County Coaches Association.

Don and his wife Patty reside in Auburn Hills. Two of his sons, Dustin and Dan are Holly graduates, and his oldest son, Derek, has two children, Addison and Elliot.