Faculty member Mr. Ron Barger is retiring from the classroom this June, but he won’t be far away.

The head coach of the DLS JV Golf team since 2017, Barger plans to continue his association with the De La Salle Collegiate golf teams, “if they’ll have me.” 

DLS Varsity Golf Coach Mr. Dennis Koch, DLS ‘94, said, "Ron Barger is an outstanding golf coach. He cares deeply about his players—not just their golf skills, but who they are as individuals. And he has created a great team environment for his players to succeed.” 

And Koch definitely plans to utilize Barger in the Pilots’ golf program. 

Barger joined the DLS faculty in January 2014, after a career in the business world that included 20 years at K-Mart’s World Headquarters in Troy, Michigan. Barger was closely involved with the company’s evolution from two CAD (Computer Assisted Design) terminals to more than 60. 

He also worked in sales, which “involved a lot of driving.” 

At DLS, Barger has taught various CAD courses and spent three successive summers in intense workshops in order to teach the “Project Lead the Way (PLTW)” courses: Introduction to Engineering, Principles of Engineering, and Digital Electronics.

Barger has been working closely with DLS STEM Coordinator Mr. Scott Husken to help him integrate the Introduction and Principles courses into the STEM curriculum: Husken has recently completed his own certification. 

Although Barger lives on Grosse Ile and has faced a lengthy drive to De La Salle each day, he will be available to substitute teach if needed, particularly for any STEM classes. 

Current Assistant Principal Mr. Chris Dean, ‘89, commented, “We are going to miss Ron. Regardless of the situation or time of year, he always has a smile on his face and a positive attitude. Of course, that translates into the classroom and the links where he has developed strong relationships with his students and student-athletes. I am grateful that Ron wants to return to sub from time to time because his presence in the building is uplifting.”

Barger was a high school wrestler, and although he didn’t continue wrestling in college, he became a high school wrestling referee in 1978. He stepped away from refereeing in 2023, after open-heart surgery. Along the way, he regularly encouraged wrestlers to pursue the training necessary to become certified as a referee.  

Barger and his wife will be taking an Alaskan cruise later this summer as well as a trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where he intends to do “a lot of golfing."