Believe it or not, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Barrington High School soccer, one of the most esteemed and respected programs in the state of Rhode Island. It certainly has been an historic run.

Starting with head coach Tony Tribelli in 1965, the Eagle boys roared out of the gate in the Interscholastic League and won three consecutive state championships in its first three years of operation. You knew then, something special was happening down on Lincoln Avenue. Since then, the Blue & Gold have never looked back.

According to the record books, the Barrington boys soccer team has won a total of 12 state titles, more than anyone else in the history of the league. Yes, even more than vaunted rivals Hendricken, La Salle, East Providence and Bristol, among others. They’ve also captured 17 division titles during the last half-century. On the girls’ side, the Lady Eagles have four state championships to their credit.

Recently, we touched base with former Eagle greats Bill Baker and Mike Rose, who either played or coached on some of Barrington’s finest teams. Both agree that great coaching, disciplined play, and a solid athletic administration were among the key ingredients in Barrington’s continued success.

“I believe Ray Biber was the athletic director when soccer started here in Barrington,” said Mike Rose, a 1978 Barrington High graduate. “But, it was Coach Tribelli who got it rolling. They had some great kids on those early teams.”

As fine a job as Coach Tribelli did during those years, it was his successor, Ed Bradley, who got the Eagles firmly entrenched among the league powerhouses.

“No doubt in my mind that Ed Bradley was the best coach we ever had,” said Bill Baker, BHS Class of 1976, an All-State soccer selection in 1975, and a member of the Barrington High School Athletic Hall of Fame. “His preparation and knowledge of the game was extraordinary. He knew how to teach it. He had it all figured out at the middle school, where he was a gym teacher.”

“Coach Bradley took the program by the horns and ran with it,” Mr. Baker continued. “He got involved with youth soccer and really had his hands on the sport. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

“Ed had a vision for players,” added Mike Rose. “He really set a positive tone.”

For the record, Bradley had two coaching stints with the Eagles, the first from 1973 to 1979, and the second tour from 1983 to 1988. In his 13 years at the helm, he won a record 123 games, losing only 44 and tying 38. He had three state championships and one state runner-up.

Bradley is also the winningest coach in URI history, compiling a record of 192-127-22 over 17 seasons with the Rams. He coached Rhode Island to a total of 10 Atlantic 10 titles — five in the regular season and five at the conference championship — and guided URI to six NCAA Tournament appearances. He was inducted into the URI Hall of Fame in 2011. He also coached three seasons (1980-82) at Rhode Island College.

“We had many great players come through Barrington,” said Bill Baker. “Jon Parker was this school’s best goalie ever, and Ted McCarron was right up there, too, along with Paul Gauvin. The Douglases (Matt, Scott and Lynn) were all great, and so were Kristen Mainella and Amy Cubbage.”

Today, the Eagle soccer program for both boys and girls remains competitive and challenging. Although the girls’ team hasn’t won a state title in a while, they have been a formidable and respectable challenging opponent year after year. On the boys’ side, over the last 25 years, the Eagles have won six state championships, the most recent coming in 2012.

Barrington High School athletic director George Finn says everything has been going well with Barrington High soccer, and hopefully, will continue to do so.

“Both programs are still very strong,” said Mr. Finn. “We’ve always been very competitive.”

Boys coach Don Denham has carried on Barrington’s winning ways right from the get-go. He helped steer the Eagles to three state titles in his first five years as head coach, the last one coming in 2012. Meanwhile, veteran girls’ coach Steve Pickford has guided his team admirably every year he’s been at the helm. Former coach, the late Joe Avila, was boss man of the Eagles during some of their greatest seasons, including their back-to-back state titles in 1991 and 1992.

As previously noted, Barrington has been blessed with extraordinary talent and outstanding coaching. That has proven to be the perfect combination in keeping the Eagles flying high in the RI Interscholastic League.