Bob Briles, 57, started as a business teacher here in 1967. He served as head boys basketball coach for 31 years as well as girls softball coach here for 26 years.

Delsea Regional High School Athletic Director Steve Illes said Briles will be inducted into the school's Hall of Fame during ceremonies at Masso's Crystal Manor in Glassboro June 6.

Briles, 57, retired as basketball coach in 2001 and as softball coach in 2002. He teaches computer repair at Delsea Middle School.

"This shows that people really appreciate the things I've done," Briles said of the upcoming installation.

He served as assistant baseball coach to Walt Serad and assistant football coach to John Oberg at the school. Both Oberg and Serad are already in the school's Hall of Fame.

"It's an honor to be with those gentlemen," he said.

Briles served as assistant basketball coach for two years prior to becoming head coach from 1970-2001. He also was head softball coach from the program's inception in 1976 through 2002.

"He is the type of person that if you are around, can only make you better," said former assistant coach George Passante.

During Briles' run as the head basketball coach, the Crusaders compiled 350 wins, including eight Tri-County Conference Royal Division, one South Jersey Group II and one State Group II championship. He was named the Al Carino Basketball Club of South Jersey Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1998.

Pat Murphy, Gloucester Catholic High School's head basketball coach, called it a pleasure to compete against Briles' teams.

"His teams were always prepared, played tough defense and competed so hard," said Pat Murphy, Gloucester Catholic High School's head basketball coach. "Every one of our games in the 1990s was a nail-biter."

Tom Freeman, a two-year varsity starter and a member of the 1991 state championship team, said Briles has always been someone players could lean on.

"When I think of Mr. Briles, I think of a father figure first, somebody you could go to and talk about things," Freeman said. "Delsea basketball was a family and he was everybody's dad."

In softball, Briles' teams won 309 games and the Tri-County Conference championship twice. The also appeared in the South Jersey Group Championship games three times, including a big upset victory over Gateway in 1987. The Crusaders took home the South Jersey Group II title with the win and then went on to the state finals at Trenton State College.

And Briles was named the South Jersey Coach of the Year in 1987 by a city newspaper.

"Mr. Briles had such an impact on my life," said Marge McLaughlin-Delia. "From the Phillies games, to the hoagie sales, to the spaghetti dinners, to everyday on the field - Mr. Briles was able to motivate me. He helped me become the person that I have become."

He was earlier inducted into the New Jersey Coaches Association State Hall of Fame.

Four of his children - sons, Rob, Tim and Kevin and daughter, Kristie - have graduated from Delsea and have participated as athletes and coaches at the school.

Briles also has two daughter-in-laws now teaching at Delsea.

"Bob and his team always conducted themselves with outstanding sportsmanship, said Larry Trautwein, former Kingsway head basketball coach. "He prepared the members of his team not only to be outstanding athletes, but also excellent young men. He prepared them for life."