Lennox Charles received a text recently informing him that a fairly large number was approaching.
Game No. 1,000 as a Polk County head soccer coach.
His reaction?
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“I got that text and I thought about it, and I’m like, I don’t even know what to say.”
A few days of reflection produced at least one conclusion.
“Boy, I guess I must like what I do.”
Indeed.
Charles is scheduled to coach his 1,000th game for Polk County on Wednesday when Polk County Middle travels to Apple Valley Middle, another milestone in a coaching career that began in 2002 and has included two state championships, 630 victories and generations of Wolverine soccer players.
The numbers alone are remarkable.
Charles compiled a 216-108-18 record in 15 seasons coaching the Polk County High boys. His PCHS girls teams have gone 335-161-34 in 25 seasons, while his Polk County Middle boys squads are 79-40-8 through Monday’s tie with Rugby Middle.
That adds up to a 630-309-60 record, a .660 winning percentage, in 999 matches, including 551 wins in 872 games at Polk County High.
And, of course, there are the championships.
Charles led Polk County’s boys to the 2003 state title, then guided the Wolverine girls to the 2009 state championship. He is one of only three coaches in Polk County High history to win multiple state titles as a head coach.
But the best explanation for reaching 1,000 games may be the one Charles offered himself.
He still enjoys doing it.
“It’s not always smooth. It’s not always easy,” Charles said. “Like everything else, for anybody else, you have ups and downs. But the other thing is, I must have picked a good place, because between the players, parents, people, it’s been a good experience.”
For his first 15 seasons at Polk County, Charles coached both high school programs, boys in the fall and girls in the spring. For the past 11 years, his autumns have been spent coaching the Polk Middle boys before returning to the PCHS girls each spring.
Soccer, in other words, has rarely been far away.
Charles still plays the game as well, competing in leagues and tournaments. Growing up in Trinidad, soccer was the sport he played from childhood, and decades later it remains an enormous part of his life.
“I’ve been playing for so long,” Charles said. “I thought about it the other day, I was driving, and I was like, people talk about your identity, and I’m like, I don’t even know, outside of soccer. It’s so involved.”
What has mattered most to Charles through all those years, though, has been the opportunity to work with players.
“I always say I don’t know that I’m anywhere close to the best tactical coach, doing multiple drills in practice, all that kind of stuff,” he said. “But I feel like I connect with the kids, in class and on the field. And I think that helps to get them to believe and buy into what we’re doing.”
There have been opportunities through the years to coach elsewhere. Charles stayed.
“I’m happy that I’m still here,” he said. “Happy to still be here and still have the opportunity to do what I’m doing, and hopefully have a positive influence on the people that I’m involved with.”
On Wednesday, there will be another team to coach and another match to play.
No. 1,000.
Which seems pretty convincing evidence that Lennox Charles really does like what he does.
