Former high school and college coach Bobby Keasler and former NFL running back Johnny Hector were selected from a list of nominees put up by the committee, comprised of former head coaches with at least five years experience at the school.
"Those are two pretty good representatives to start it off," said NISH assistant principal Joel McFarland, who spearheaded the formation of the Hall of Fame. "I know a lot of people use the term glory days" to represent the era when Keasler coached and Hector played at the school.
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McFarland compiled the list of all nominees and sent out ballots to the committee, with each member voting for three candidates. Any candidates getting 70 percent of the vote gained entry into the hall. Members of the hall will vote for future members.
Keasler is a 1964 graduate of New Iberia Senior High, where he was captain of the football and basketball teams, earning All-District honors in both sports, and a three-time All-District and All-State track athlete who set school records in the mile and half mile.
He went to Northeast Louisiana University on a track scholarship, where he was captain of the track and cross country teams before graduating and returning to NISH as an assistant coach for five years.
Keasler was named head coach, where his teams won district championships in 1979 and 1980 and finished second in the state in 1979, falling to St. Augustine in the finals. He was named district Coach of the Year both years, leading the Yellow Jackets to a 24-2 record in that span, and was the only coach in school history to lead a team to a 10-0 regular season, which he did in both seasons. After coaching the high school All-Star Game in 1980, he was named defensive coordinator at NLU, where he coached from 1980-89.
Keasler then was hired as head coach at McNeese State University, working there from 1989-98, winning four conference championships and being named conference or Louisiana Coach of the Year on six occasions. The Cowboys reached the Division I-AA quarterfinals four times in his tenure, the semifinals twice and the championship game once.
Being chosen for the NISH Hall of Fame is especially sweet for Keasler because he both attended the school and coached there.
"I thought it was exciting for us as a family and I'm sure Johnny's excited too," said Keasler, who was head coach at his college alma mater, UL-Monroe, from 1999-2002. "To me and my family, it's a great honor for us. To be recognized by the school you graduated from, participated in athletics there, coached there, is a great honor. I don't think you ever forget your high school days and the closeness you build with your high school friends. It's always great to run into some of the old characters."
With 10 years in high school and 24 in college, and being able to coach teams to championship games at both levels, Keasler said his professional life has been very rewarding because of what his players were able to do. McNeese played for the 1997 Division I-AA championship, losing 10-9 to Youngstown State.
And while he takes pride in the coaching accolades, he credits the coaching staffs and players for that success. He was inducted into the McNeese Hall of Fame in 2006, as was former NISH quarterback Kerry Joseph.
"I'm most proud of the family I have that's been very supportive of me," said Keasler. "My daughter lives in Lake Charles still. She's a teacher. My son lives in Tennessee. He's a coach."
Keasler recalls his daughter wearing a NISH jersey to games with the No. 12 on the front and the No. 8 on the back, signifying the team's two quarterbacks, Joey LeBlanc (12) and David DeGroat (8).
Hector played football and ran track at NISH from 1976-79 before playing football at Texas A&M. At New Iberia, Hector was named district and state MVP in football, as well as earning All-District and All-State honors. In track, he was a three-time state long jump champion and won a state triple jump title as well, setting school records in both events. He still holds the school long jump record of 25 feet, 3 inches.
"Obviously it's a great honor," said Hector of his selection as a member of the first class. "There were a lot of guys before me (at NISH), so it really is a humbling experience.
"I just want to say it wasn't just myself. My teammates, coaches and the fans cheering made it possible."
Hector said that the recruiting experience helped make high school, especially his senior season, a blur.
"Especially with all the hype of all the coaches and recruiters coming around," said Hector. "I was somewhat of a quiet, reserved person."
Ohio State and Notre Dame were among the other schools he'd visited while considering which college to attend. The cold weather at those schools and distance from home were factors in his selecting Texas A&M.
"A&M was just a little bit down the road," said Hector. "I guess I just wanted to get away, and it was just far enough to be able to do all those college things."
Hector played for 10 years with the New York Jets of the National Football League, and co-founded a local youth football clinic in New Iberia that runs to this day.
"This was home," said Hector of his return to the area after his playing days were done. "Most of my family was around here. Of course, my mom passed away in '95."
The Johnny Hector-Corey Raymond Football Camp is a free camp designed to help local youngsters interact with professional and college players, and annually draws large numbers of young athletes from around the area.
Hector and Keasler will serve as honorary team captains for the coin toss at Friday's game against Acadiana. They will be honored at halftime of the game and receive plaques commemorating their induction into the Hall of Fame.
One of the trophy cases at the NISH boys' gym is being outfitted for use as a display for the Hall of Fame, which will include plaques and memorabilia for members.
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