The inaugural class of East Brunswick High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame reads like a history book full of the individuals who were responsible for making the athletic program among the most highly regarded in the state.
Of the eight inducted into the Hall of Fame at the annual athletic awards banquet on June 11, six had this common thread weaved into their impressive résumés — they were the first to coach their sport at the high school.
Here’s the list of the first class and their accomplishments: the late Jay Doyle, the first football and wrestling coach; John Emery, the first boys basketball coach; the late Lou Kosa, the first girls soccer coach; Charles M. King, the first boys and girls bowling coach; William “Dud” Tighe, the first track and field coach; and Don Wieder, the first and only boys gymnastics coach. The other two members of the initial Hall of Fame class are Reggie Carney, girls basketball coach, and the late Dan Hayston, boys soccer coach.
The Hall of Fame is the brainchild of current Supervisor of Physical Education and Athletics Frank Noppenberger, who formed a 12-member committee to consider nominees. The committee is composed of individuals whose recollections go back to 1958, when the high school opened its doors.
When Noppenberger made the announcement of the first class at the banquet, he called the selections “no brainers — sort of like the Baseball Hall of Fame voting in Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Cy Young, to name a few.”
“The criteria specified that candidates had to be either a coach or volunteer, retired at least three years and have coached at least 10 years,” Noppenberger said. “In addition, they had to be considered positive role models and promote academic and athletic achievement.”
Carney, who graduated from Sayreville War Memorial High School and went to college in Arizona on a baseball scholarship, served as girls basketball coach at South Amboy High School and had a short stint as an assistant at Boston University before arriving at East Brunswick. He amassed a career record of 430-179 and racked up numerous division, conference and state sectional championships. Doyle, whose son Jim accepted the award on behalf of Hall of Fame recipients, was also the school’s first athletic director and had the football stadium named after him.
Emery, who still can be seen at numerous East Brunswick athletic events, served as basketball coach from 1961-77, and he was also a football assistant for various head coaches.
Hayston, who has Greater Middlesex Conference and Sportsmanship awards named after him, coached the boys soccer team to 20 championships and won 346 matches during his career.
In addition to being a golf, football and basketball coach, King served as athletic director and school principal, and he was elected to the township’s Board of Education.
Kosa, a native of South River, was a district mathematics teacher and served as baseball coach in addition to being the girls soccer coach. His 531 wins remain the most for a coach in New Jersey, and his teams won 52 titles. In 1992, Kosa’s Bears were ranked No. 1 in the country.
Tighe, a native of Millburn, also attends athletic events frequently. In addition to being the track and field coach, Tighe served as an assistant basketball coach. The track that surrounds the football field at Jay Doyle Stadium is named after Tighe.
Wieder was a physical education teacher while coaching the boys gymnastics team and also served as a football assistant. His gymnastics teams won 252 meets and 16 state championships, and he sent 20 gymnasts to colleges on scholarships.
“We’ll be adding more names to the Hall of Fame in future years,” Noppenberger said. “The plan is to nominate candidates every two years.”
Noppenberger emphasized that while coaches made up the list of inductees, future candidates can also be noncoaches.
“Volunteers, secretaries, trainers and others who have had a major impact on the athletic program will be considered,” he said.
Noppenberger noted that Superintendent of Schools Jo Ann Magistro is retiring at the end of the current school year, and she was a major advocate of East Brunswick athletics during her tenure.
“Ms. Magistro has been a great supporter of the athletic program through the years,” he said, “and was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Hall of Fame.”