Class of 2020

Charles Fletcher

Machesney Park (Harlem)

Charles Fletcher has been affiliated with wrestling since the age of 15. He wrestled for Pekin, class of 1958. He wrestled for Hall of Fame coaches Jim Custer and Jack Stoudt. As a student at Illinois State Normal University from 1958-62, Charles wrestled until work commitments forced him to forfeit the sport, temporarily.

In 1962 he took the position of Math instructor at Harlem School District. He began coaching in 1963 as the head varsity wrestling coach. He retained this position until 1967. He continued working as an official until 1969, when he was again offered the assistant wrestling coach position. After one year, he became the head wrestling coach again and has remained in that position.

Charles retired from teaching in June, 1999, however, he remains as the head wrestling coach at Harlem. During thirty-six years of coaching at Harlem, Charles has accumulated a record of 359-267-11. He has coached fifty-nine conference champions, fifty regional champions, six sectional champions and thirty state qualifiers. He has coached ten state placewinners, including four state champions. He was also selected as NIC 9 Coach of the Year four times. In 1987 Charles received the Franklin Life Gold Award from Scholastic Coach Tom Lake Magazine.