William Burke, Jr

Synonymous with the growth, development, and success of high school wrestling in Morris County, the name Bill Burke surfaces often in the conversation. The architect of the wrestling program at Morris Hills High School in 1955, Coach Burke took a club level program and broadened its scope by becoming a full fledged varsity team with a comprehensive schedule in 1958. From there, what followed would be a legacy that would last until 1972 when Bill would retire as Morris Hills High School's head wrestling coach. During the years 1960-64, his teams would face defeat only 6 times, and 4 of them were to a powerhouse Newton High team. Also in that span of 17 years, Bill's teams would capture two Jersey Hills Conference Championships along with two runner-up team placements. Bill coached four wrestlers who advanced beyond the district level to regional and state competitions, and his 20 individual district champions during those years provided a strong foundation not only in the program, but for those teams which would follow at Morris Hills High School. Bill also remained active in the sport by authoring a series of articles on "wrestling technique" which were published in Scholastic Coach Magazine, and "Championship Wrestling"”An Anthology". Coach Burke also made the time to serve on a series of wrestling committees sponsored by the NJSIAA, he continued with services on district, regional and state wrestling tournament committees, and he organized the very first Holiday Wrestling Tournament in Morris County hosted by Morris Hills High School. Bill was inducted into the Morris County Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1987, received the Morris County Honor Award in 1972, New Jersey Coaches Award in that same year, and was recognized for one of the highest achievements awarded for contributions to New Jersey Wrestling, the prestigious Harry E. Lake Award in 1976. Bill and his wife Agnes have seven children and reside in Hackettstown, NJ, where Bill was born. Bill graduated from Rutgers University and did his graduate work there and at Seton Hall University, as well as the then Newark and Jersey City State Colleges. Congratulations Bill on your induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, New Jersey Chapter.

Awards:

Year
2015
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Chapter/Region
New Jersey

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