John R. Eiler, who led alma mater East Stroudsburg as a coach to the NAIA national championship in 1962 and the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament in 1964 and 1965, died last week at the age of 93 in East Stroudsburg, Pa.

He built the Warriors into one of the first national powers in college soccer. Among the players he coached was Al Miller, who later coached Hartwick, the Philadelphia Atoms and the U.S. national team.

“We all respected him,” said Miller told the Pocono Record.  “He didn’t have a lot of rules, but those that he had were firm.  He always meant what he said.”

Added Miller, "He had an enormous influence on my wanting to be a coach.  I came into school as a baseball guy, but after meeting Coach Eiler I became a soccer guy."

Eiler's overall coaching record was 150-41-6 over 20 seasons, including 77-25-7 at East Stroudsburg.

Eiler served as the president of the NSCAA and ISAA and won the NSCAA's Honor Award in 1965. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1993. East Stroudsburg's Eiler-Martin Stadium is named in honor of Eiler and the late Eugene Martin, head football coach and Dean of Men at the school.