Springfield College men’s basketball head coach Charlie Brock ’76 G’80 has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2021-22 academic year.
“I feel truly blessed, after 45 years of teaching and coaching, for all the unforgettable relationships I have had with so many players, assistant coaches, colleagues, and mentors. I am very grateful to Springfield College, going back to my undergraduate days, for the opportunity to serve as a basketball coach for the last 24 years, a member of the faculty, and represent Springfield in various NABC and NCAA professional organizations and committees during my professional life,” said Brock. “I remember Coach Bilik calling me during the summer of 1977, to come back to Springfield, get my Masters degree and assist with the men’s basketball team. Going to practice as a coach was the first time I truly enjoyed practice after all the years that I had played. I knew then that coaching was meant for me, and I for it, if I was lucky enough to stay in it. It is time for me to move aside, and let someone else have the privilege of guiding the Springfield College men’s basketball program. It is a blessing to have had a job that for 45 years never felt like I had to go to work. It is hard to believe how good I have had it, and how long I have had it so good.”
The longest tenured and winningest men’s basketball coach in program history, Brock has spent the last 24 years on the sidelines on Alden Street. One of only 14 coaches to coach men’s basketball at the Birthplace of Basketball, Brock has been a mainstay in a program that has only had six head coaches dating back to 1946. At the time of his retirement, Brock ranked fourth among Division III active coaches in career victories with 586 over his 42-year head coaching career.
“When Coach Brock returned to campus, he brought with him a formula for growth and development that led to success, and such continued on Alden Street for the past 24 years. Aside from multiple NCAA tournament appearances including a historic Final Four run in 2018, Coach Brock embodied our Humanics Philosophy by serving others in his many leadership roles – whether on the national level implementing new initiatives through the NABC, or at the regional and conference level through his savvy involvement on multiple committees. Beyond his commitment to the sport of basketball through his professional involvement and in addition to on court success, I always thought Coach Brock spoke the least, and maybe the loudest, but said the most. After over 40 years on the hardwood sidelines, more than half at the Birthplace of Basketball, there is no doubt his leadership will be missed,” said Springfield College Director of Athletics, Craig Poisson.
During his time at Springfield, Brock’s achievements as a coach are certainly impressive as he led Springfield to seven appearances in the NCAA Division III Championship and totaled 356 wins. A committed educator and community leader, he was recognized with the NABC Guardian of the Game Award for Advocacy, and in the 2018-19 academic year, Brock was the president of the NABC. Over the course of his career, Brock served on the prestigious NABC Board of Directors, served five years on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, as well as the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Committee, chairing the Committee in 2010. Brock has also been active in the Springfield community, annually getting his team involved with a variety of disadvantaged local non-profit programs, and was the facilitator of the Springfield College Pride’s Literacy Awards program.
In 2018, Brock was selected for the Glenn Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the top Division III coach in the nation, following Springfield’s historic postseason run to the NCAA Division III Championship Final Four. His squads at Springfield eclipsed the 20-win plateau six times throughout his career and he coached nine student-athletes who scored more than 1000 points during their careers with the Pride. Brock maintained a long tradition of Springfield coaches who have lent their teaching skills to other countries and has traveled internationally to Venezuela, Taiwan, Japan, Estonia, and Costa Rica to teach the game of basketball to its citizens. Prior to returning to the sidelines at his alma mater, Brock coached at Drew University (1981-86), Gustavus Adolphus (1987-89) and Trinity University (1990-98).
A national search for Brock’s replacement will begin immediately.
https://springfieldcollegepride.com/sports/mbkb/2021-22/releases/20220228u8cg0u
