Born in 1937, Charles B. Lewis was raised in Avondale (PA) where he was a standout athlete at Avon Grove High School in baseball, basketball, soccer and especially track & field. During his sophomore year (1954), Charlie won the PIAA 440-yard run and finished to his brother, Joe, in the 100-yard dash. In his junior year he was victorious in the PIAA 100-yard dash and second in the 440-yard run. Lewis and his AAU teammates set a national record in the 4 x 100 relay his junior year. He and Joe were members of four gold medal 4 x 440 Penn Relays teams. Equally adept in basketball Lewis was the league’s leading scorer his senior year averaging 19 ppg.

Lewis was awarded an athletic scholarship to Winston-Salem State Teacher’s College (NC) where he won the Carolina AAU 440-yard run and was ranked one of the top freshmen in the United States. Lewis and his teammates placed second in the freshman mile relay at the Penn Relays and won the Division II 4 x 440 as sophomores.

Charlie qualified for the 1960 United State Olympic Trials but was unable to compete because of his Army service. He accepted a teaching position in the Kennett Consolidated School District (1961) and became assistant track and field coach, later becoming head coach (1967), and head coach of crosscountry (1969). He taught in the Kennett District from 1961 to 1997.

He coached the Kennett High School boys’ track and field teams for 29 years, boys’ and girls’ cross country for 23 years, and girls track and field for 10 years, and coached boys’ and girls’ basketball for 15 years at the middle school. He later served as assistant track coach at Unionville High School (2003- 2018).

Charlie Lewis was a successful coach and an influential mentor to hundreds of athletes who competed at the league, district, and state levels.