Charles Leverone nearly became a farmer. Luckily for the many lives he touched in his education and coaching career, he changed his path midway through college. Charlie's teaching and coaching career began in 1961. He was a distinguished teacher of Anatomy, Physiology, Biology, and Physical Education at Rockland High School which lasted 30 years until his retirement at 1991. He coached Cross-Country and Track & Field on the high school and college levels for 53 years. Charlie coached Track and Field at Rockland, Scituate, Sacred Heart and Norwell High Schools and at Boston University. To his credit he has coached a number of Massachusetts State Champions in several running events and in every field event including the high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, javelin and pole vault as well as several New England Champions. In addition, two of Charlie's throwers from Boston University competed in the Olympic Games. He has been named Massachusetts State Coach of the Year several times and is also a member of Massachusetts Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame and Rockland High School Athletic Hall of Fame. From 1992 to 2002, Charlie was the Outdoor Girls Field Event Coach at Scituate High School. During those years, Scituate dual meet record was almost perfect 74-3-1 and he is considered by many to be a technical expert in coaching Cross-Country and Track and Field. In 1995, in an unprecedented selection, Charlie's contributions to Track and Field were noted by the Boston Globe when he became the only assistant coach in history to be honored as the Globe Spring Track Coach of the Year. Charlie was a competitor himself and competed at Arlington High School, Huntington Prep, and at UMASS Amherst. While at UMASS he earned a total of 14 letters, 5 varsity, for which he was later inducted into the UMASS Athletic Hall of Fame, a record which has stood for 55 years and still stands today. He also captured the NEAAU Trampoline Championship in gymnastics and won the Lojko Award his senior year in 1960 for being the best three-sport athlete at UMASS. Charlie's college sports achievements were interrupted when he was drafted into the military and served honorably in the United States Army Medical Corps during the Korean War in the mid 1950's. In 1989, Charlie earned All American Honors in the high jump of the Masters Division. He was third in the high jump in the Masters States Championships held in Orlando, and finished second in the high jump in the United States-Canadian Masters Championships held in Toronto. Charles E. Leverone died Tuesday, February 3rd at his home after a brief battle with cancer. He was the son of the late Louis Henry and Hazel Wood Leverone, born on December 31, 1932 in his native town of Arlington, MA. Charlie resided in Hanson for the past 45 years and passed away at age 82 surrounded by his family for the last few days of his life. His wife, Antonia, 52 years of marriage, was by his side at his passing. He is also survived by their three children Crispin, Jeffrey (Nina Belle Leverone) and Diana. He was the loving grandfather to six grandchildren; Cameron, Hailey, Dylan, Marsela, Griffin and Maxwell. He was preceded in death by a sister, Carol Barnes. Sir Charles "The Great" was a man of wisdom and always said "You've got to keep moving, it's better to wear out than rust out" and "Have Fun".
Inducted: 2003