Charlie Whitaker '53 entered Lyndon Teachers College as a freshman in the fall of 1949 and graduated four years later in June 1953. During those four years, Charlie was looked up to as an outstanding athlete and leader on campus. Having served in the armed forcers before entering Lyndon, Charlie was a steadying influence on the younger athletes who came to Lyndon. His friends agree Charlie was an unselfish role player more interested in the success of the team than gaining accolades for himself.
An experienced starting guard, Charlie was a starter on the men’s basketball team for four years and was a co-captain in his senior year. A leading scorer during his time at Lyndon, he averaged over 10 points a game his first two years, and ended his Lyndon career with a four-year total of 530 points. His 207 field goals constituted a new Lyndon Teachers College record.
In the fall of 1950 when Lyndon fielded its first cross-country team, Charlie became one of the dependable scorers after helping the team to victory. In the spring of 1951, Lyndon Teachers College fielded its first baseball team. Charlie played shortstop and provided the spark in the top of the lineup, batting either lead off or in the #2 spot all season. He scored eight runs in the six games played. Charlie earned and was awarded letters in all three sports. He and Eddie Woods ’54 were the first official three-letter athletes in the history of Lyndon Teachers College. Charlie also provided leadership during these years, serving terms as a class officer, vice president of the Future Teachers Association, president of the Men's Athletic Association, vice president and president of the Student Government.
Consideration to Whitaker's individual professional/career achievements is especially pertinent to his nomination. His extremely successful career, introducing and guiding students through athletics while in school, is a very positive reflection on the success of Lyndon to graduate well-prepared individuals. In this case, Whitaker not only did well in the athletic endeavors in terms of numbers while at Lyndon, but it is now evident that he also took away from the athletic program the intangibles, the ability to inspire athletic excellence in students.
Charlie's first coaching experience was at Newport High School from 1954-1956 where he coached the freshman basketball team that won 30 games while losing only 7. Charlie moved to Orleans in 1958 as varsity coach in both soccer and basketball. Charlie inspired excellence. The soccer team won 19 games, while losing only 8; the team went to post season play one year. The basketball team, meanwhile, showed the same success. While winning 40 games and losing 19, the team enjoyed post-season play for two years, once winning the Northern State Tournament and the State Championship.
His next move was to Hardwick Academy in 1961, where he coached soccer and basketball for five years. Success just seemed to blossom once Whitaker arrived. The soccer team had five straight winning seasons, including two Green Mountain League championships and many post-season appearances, ultimately losing in three state tournaments to large schools (Champlain Valley Union and Essex Junction). During this five-year period, Charlie’s soccer teams won 42 games, tied 4, and lost 15. The basketball team exhibited the same success: it won 58 games, lost 51; went to post season play for five years; and in two of those years the team won the Northern State Tournament and played for the State Championship.
Charlie's final move was back to Newport, first to Newport High School for the 1966-67 school year, then on to the new North Country Union High School for three more years. While at Newport High School, Charlie coached the basketball team to a 13 win-7 loss season with more post-season play. From 1967-70 Charlie faced one of his biggest challenges. As the basketball coach, his challenge was to incorporate student athletes from five closing high schools into a working organization in a large union high school. (Many big fish in little ponds becoming little fish in a big pond -not playing against their greatest rival, but now sharing and playing with them.) Again Charlie rose to the occasion by coaching the North Country Union team to a 33 win/32 loss record, entering post-season play all three years, and going to the quarter finals one year.
In conclusion, one must remember that Charlie graduated from Lyndon prior to the start of the soccer program and yet undertook coaching varsity soccer programs for eight years, amassing a total at 61 wins, 4 ties and only 23 losses. In 12 years of coaching varsity basketball, his record is 144 wins and 109 losses – a winning percentage of .569.
There are, without doubt, palpable contributions made to the intercollegiate athletic program at Lyndon State College when an alumnus from that program is so successful.
Hardwick Town Manager Dan Hill says of Charlie: “ Hardwick Academy had an outstanding record in athletics during Coach Whitaker’s reign . . . His biggest accomplishment, however, was in the development of young people to have goals and live productive lives with discipline and dignity . . . I realize that athletic prowess is one of the main criteria for selecting members of your hall of fame. More important, however, is the contribution that an individual makes to students and community after they graduate. I am but one small example of the contributions Coach Whitaker has made during his career and will be forever grateful for having known him."
