Hall of Fame induction: 2004
As an outstanding athlete, Jim was an All State basketball player at Felton H.S. and at West Chester University , he competed on the track team and was a member of the Conference Championship Cross County team. At Lake Forest High School , Jim coached for 33 years where his girls’ and boys’ teams won a combined total of 16 state championships while being the runner-up 25 times. He was the “Coach of the Year” in the conference 25 times and four times in the state. In 1988, he was awarded the Region 2 cross country “Coach of the Year” by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. Jim served as the state cross country chairman and was a member of the state track & field committee.
He founded the hugely successful Lake Forest Cross Country Invitational and the Keith Burgess Track & Field Invitational. He was a major force in not only the southern part of the state, but was greatly influential in the progress of our sports in the entire state for more than three decades. Jim was one of the most respected high school track & field coaches in memory.