VISAA Honors Charlie Blair With Soccer Award in His Name

The Virginia Independent School Athletic Association last evening honored Collegiate School Head Varsity Boys’ Soccer Coach Charlie Blair with a newly created award in his name.
The Charlie Blair Award for Excellence in Coaching, given between the two semifinal games at the VISAA Division I State Boys’ Soccer Semifinals at City Stadium, recognizes Mr. Blair’s excellence in coaching and quality of character. The award citation reads: The recipient has exhibited to an exemplary degree the qualities of respect for the game and the people who play it, has conducted himself as a gentleman in all interactions and has therefore been a credit to the coaching profession.

Mr. Blair, who also has served as the Head of Collegiate’s Middle School since 1991, has coached the School’s soccer team for 38 years. Under his leadership, his teams have earned 400-plus victories, 11 Prep League titles, three VISAA championships and a 13-1-2 record this year. He will retire at the end of the 2018-19 school year.    

“Charlie Blair is respected by the entire coaching community at Collegiate and from schools from around the state, so it is no surprise that the VISAA has awarded him this honor based on his coaching excellence and, more importantly, his high character and sportsmanship,” said Collegiate Athletic Director Karen Doxey. “He is a role model to all and we will greatly miss his advice, dry wit and friendship!”

Upon receiving the award, Mr. Blair waved to those in attendance, which included more than 100 current and former players, family members and colleagues. In addition to the award, Mr. Blair was given a rocking chair, soliciting many chuckles from those gathered to honor him. An inscription of a quote from sports writer Grantland Rice on the back of the chair reads, For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, He writes not that you won or lost, but how you played the game!

“To be honored for doing something you love seems surreal,” Mr. Blair said. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with so many good kids and families, as well as fellow coaches. The support of the School and my family has been ever present.”

Going forward, the award will not be given annually, but as merited.
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