Hokie ClubCharles Foster, a former Virginia Tech track and field assistant coach from 2009 until his retirement in 2015 passed away Sunday morning.
"Our Hokie track and field family was saddened to hear of Coach Charles Foster's passing this past Sunday," Director of track and field and cross country Dave Cianelli said. "Coach Foster reached the highest levels as an athlete in our sport, and then went on to become one of the most successful coaches in track and field."
Foster had more than 30 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and international level by the time he retired with the Hokies in 2015. With his knowledge, he brought a new success to the Hokies sprints, hurdlers and jumps group.
"During his coaching tenure at Virginia Tech. Charles Foster was at the center of our team success with the development of our sprint and jumps group," Cianelli said. "During the 2010 season, he coached Queen Harrison to an historic senior season that culminated with her winning the Bowerman Award."
Foster made an immediate impact in his first season with the Hokies, as he was named the Southeast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year. Foster helped Queen Harrison earn national titles in the 60-, 100-, and 400-meter hurdles, the first individual NCAA championships in the women's program's history. Harrison went on to be selected as the 2010 Bowerman Award winner, the most prestigious award in track & field. Fellow hurdler Kristi Castlin earned her sixth and seventh All-America honors, a program record at Tech. Harrison also earned four ACC titles, sweeping the three hurdle events and winning the indoor 400-meter dash. Under Foster's tutelage, Hasheem Halim set a new school record in the triple jump with his second-place performance at the ACC Indoor Championships.
In his career, Foster coached two Olympic gold medalists, one silver medalist and a bronze medalist, along with 12 Olympians and more than 50 All-Americans. He was a part of 25 ACC and national championship teams during his coaching career, with four of those ACC Championships coming with the Hokies.
Prior to coming to Tech, Foster spent 10 years as the sprints, hurdles and relays coach for the men's track and field team at Clemson, where the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCC) named him the NCAA Assistant Track Coach of the Year in 2008.
Before his time with Clemson, he worked on the Special Olympics World Summer Games Organizing Committee from 1997-99, and was the manager for sports planning on the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games from 1992-97. While on the committee, Foster's responsibilities included the Olympic Stadium Hub, which entailed managing and planning for the Olympic sports of track and field, baseball, field hockey, sport shooting and softball.
Foster began his coaching career at North Carolina as an assistant track coach from 1986-92. Along with working with the sprints and hurdles units with the Tar Heels, he assisted in the design of a new track and field stadium.
As an athlete, Foster was a member of the 1976 United States Olympic Team that competed in Montreal, Canada. He won the high hurdles at the Olympic Trials that year to earn a spot on the squad. A former world record holder in the high hurdles event, Foster received the Distinguished Citizen Award of North Carolina, the highest award presented in the state.
The 1974 NCAA national champion in the 110m hurdles, Foster was an 18-time All-American at North Carolina Central in the 55-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles and the 4x100-meter relay. He was the TAC (now USATF) national champion in the 110-meter hurdles from 1974-76 and was the Penn Relays champion in the event from 1972-75.
On the world scene, Foster has traveled to over 100 different countries as a competing athlete or as the director, coach and consultant for a variety of track and field training camps, clinics and conferences. He served as the technical advisor and coach for nine countries' Olympic teams as they prepared for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. He is internationally recognized as a strong motivator and expert in the field of speed training and conditioning.
"I learned so many things from this man who had traveled to over 100 countries as an athlete and an ambassador for our country," Cianelli said. "Most of our conversations had nothing to do with track and field, but had everything to do with reaching out to people and helping them understand who you are no matter how different they are from you. I am blessed and thankful that I had the chance to work with Charles Foster."