Roger graduated from Spring-Ford High in Royersford, PA where he was an All Scholastic in baseball, football and basketball. He was named the Outstanding Three Sports Star Athlete for Berks, Chester and Montgomery Counties. He was chosen as an All State American Legion baseball player and was then signed to a “Bonus Contract” with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a catcher.
Rodger graduated from West Chester University where he also received his Master’s Degree in Education in 1973.
Following his college graduation, he began his teaching & coaching careers at Perkiomen Valley High School.
Rodger spent the next 6 years at Warwich High School in Lititz, PA (Lancaster County) where his teams won the championships and Rodger was twice selected Coach of the Year.
He coached for 8 years at Wilkes University. His teams earned two MAC Play-Off Births and one ECAC Play Of Birth. The 1973-74 basketball season saw Wilkes win 19 games, a school record which stood for 20 years until the 1993-94 season.
Roger coached for 20 year at Lake Lehman High School where his teams won 2 Wyoming Valley Championships and made 9 District Play-Off Appearances. In 1992-93 Lake Lehman advanced to the Eastern Semi-Finals in State Play-offs.
In 1993 Rodger was chosen “Wyoming Valley Coaches Association Division II Coach of the Year in 2000 Rodger was enshrined as one of the first members of the Lake Lehman Basketball Hall of Fame, He also served as the Athletic Director for Lake
Lehman High School
Rodger and his wife, Addie, resided in Kingston and raised three children: Rodger Jr., Deanna and Billy Bearde. They also have two grandsons: William and Brandon Pritchard.