Bob Farias was a four-year basketball standout at Westfield State in the late 1960s. He led the team in scoring during his sophomore season, averaging 18.6 points per game, and was captain during his junior year. Farias scored more than 750 points in his WSC career and received the Presidential Basketball Award in his senior year. He also was president of the Men’s Athletic Association. 

Farias’ most memorable game at Westfield State came during his sophomore year when he scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Owls past American International College, 80-76, for the biggest upset victory in school history. 

Farias’ athletic achievements go back to his high school days at Durfee in Fall River, where he was an All County selection in both football and basketball. He quarterbacked the Hilltoppers to an undefeated football season in 1963, and was the captain and second leading scorer of the basketball team. He was inducted into the Durfee High School Hall of Fame. 

Farias earned a bachelor of science in education from Westfield State in 1968. He has a master’s degree in education from Boston University and has served as the director of the A.C.E. program, an alternative education program of the Lexington, Arlington, Bedford, Burlington and Belmont Public Schools. 

He is also the head boys’ basketball coach at Lexington High School, where he has been coaching since graduating from Westfield State. He began as an assistant to Rollie Massimino, former head coach of Villanova and UNLV. 

During his six years as junior varsity coach, Farias’ teams won 104 games and lost 14 and won five Middlesex League JV titles. In 1975 Farias started his highly successful tenure as head coach. Lexington won the Division I state title in 1978, defeating his alma mater Durfee, and Farias was named the Coach of the Year by the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. At the time of his induction into the Westfield State Hall of Fame, Lexington had earned 10 Middlesex League titles and has made six Division 1 North Final appearances.

Farias is a highly active and respected professional and citizen in the town of Lexington. He directs a basketball camp for boys and girls in grades fifth through ninth at the Hayden Recreation Centre in Lexington, and also runs a similar camp with the Lexington Recreation Department in the summer. He frequently is a guest lecturer and teacher of basketball skills at camps throughout New England. Farias has been the head coach of the Massachusetts state all-stars and a Bay State Games head coach. 

Within his community, Farias served on the committee to prepare a Lexington High School exhibit for the New England Sports Museum. 

Also within this historic community, Farias is an elected member of Town Meeting. He has had the honor of being Parade Marshall for the annual Patriots Day parade, and has served on the committee to choose the annual Youth Award. Additionally, he has served a two-year term as president of the elementary school PTE. 

Farias is married to Shirley (Bleau), a former Westfield State College cheerleader who graduated in 1969. They have two daughters, Lisa, and Christina, a 1994 Westfield State graduate.