Jim Stroker - '70

Jim Stroker, or "Coach" as he is better known, is a second-generation graduate of Ridgewood High School's class of 1970. Coach is a lifelong resident of Ridgewood and followed in his late father Jack's athletic footsteps by becoming an accomplished three-sport athlete, achieving Varsity honors in baseball, basketball and football. After High School Coach attended Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education in 1975, followed by a Master's degree in Athletic Administration from Springfield University in 1979. After graduate school Coach returned home and began his teaching career in 1980 as a health and wellness teacher at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, where he taught for 36 years until his retirement in 2016. Throughout the course of his career, Coach impacted hundreds if not thousands of students' lives with his new, ever changing and innovative teaching strategies including integrating yoga and meditation into his classroom to help his students develop more mindful responses to the challenges of life. He is also credited with implementing several recognized and award-winning programs for students throughout his career to combat drugs and obesity, as well as clubs to help kids learn the importance of physical fitness. One of Coach's greatest gifts to his students was his willingness and availability to be there for them as they needed, and his teaching stretched far beyond the classroom. Some of his most treasured teaching moments was working with those students with "different abilities," a phrase coined by his daughter Ali, who along with her brother Jake, were severely injured in a car accident in 1989. Jim was later presented with the Paskalides Award for Outstanding Courage in the aftermath of the serious car accident. Coach continues to credit his three children Jake, Ali, and Tori with helping him find inspiration through their strength and success. In addition to teaching, Jim began his coaching career at RHS as the head coach for both the Freshmen football team and the Freshmen Boy's Basketball teams. He later served as the RHS Varsity Men's Basketball Coach for 18 years, having compiled the most wins in that position in the school's history. He had innumerable coaching victories, most notably leading the 2005 men's basketball team to the Group 4, Section 1 State Championship Title. Coach also served as an Assistant Coach for the RHS Varsity Football team for half of his career. Coach Stroker received numerous awards during his distinguished teaching and coaching career. He was named Teacher of the Year at BF Middle School in 2011 and was inducted into the New Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame. Currently, Coach Stroker can be found using his unique gift to craft and deliver inspirational and educational keynote seminars and trainings that resonate with audiences ranging from Fortune 500 CEO's to thousands of high school students throughout the country, as well as Nonprofits, Military, Gaming Associations, Healthcare Practitioners and Native American Leaders. He speaks on various topics including how gratitude can impact daily performance and behavior. Over the summer months you will find Coach each morning teaching core training and yoga on the beach in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Inducted 2018.

CLASS YEAR

1970

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