When Charles “Charlie” Craig arrived in Bakersfield in 1971, he didn’t know much about the city or the university that had just opened its doors. What he did know was that he wanted the chance to be a head coach, to build something from scratch, and to shape young athletes into more than competitors. More than five decades later, his vision and impact are etched into the very DNA of Cal State Bakersfield Athletics. This Oct. 25, Craig will be formally recognized as one of the inaugural inductees into the CSUB Athletics Hall of Fame, a fitting honor for a man who sculpted the foundation of an entire program.

A fledgling program was the perfect challenge for a coach with Craig’s philosophy. Before he could produce champions, he had to build a track, recruit athletes, and create a culture that would endure. He looked at the landscape of competition and carved out a strategic path:

“There was no way we were going to beat Cal Poly SLO in the distance running. There was no way we were going to beat LA State and Northridge in the sprints. So I said, ‘Let’s use the field events as our foundation’…They are hidden points because everyone is watching the sprints and we were building strength and numbers and points through the field events. That’s how we built the program.”

That strategy – alongside his uncompromising standards and old school grit – paid off. Over a coaching career that stretched across three decades, Craig coached 18 NCAA national champions and he mentored 195 All-Americans. He was named NCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 2002. His influence also reached beyond Bakersfield, earning him a place on the United States coaching staff for the 1991 World Championships and the 1996 Olympic Games.

But statistics only tell part of the story. Ask Craig’s former athletes and colleagues, and they’ll tell you about the man behind the whistle. Alan Collatz, who competed under Craig from 1982 to 1985 and then spent 17 years by his side as an assistant coach, still remembers Craig’s ability to change lives in a matter of minutes. “I was at a junior college and I was already signed up with Cal Poly…All of a sudden I got a phone call in May. Charlie called me and asked me, ‘What do you think about coming to CSUB?’ Within 20 minutes, he convinced me to come…Charlie has a way with that.”

Collatz describes Craig as “old school” – tough, demanding, and unwavering in his expectations. “You knew what he wanted from you, there was no gray area…His toughness, his discipline…A lot of the kids we had, they didn’t have any discipline. They came here and boom, Charlie was it. It was a new life for them.”

Yet beneath that hard exterior was a coach who built trust through genuine care. Craig often told his athletes, “I’m going to treat you as my daughter or my son…That’s how I tried to build confidence that I always had their back.” His Roadrunners left the program not only as stronger competitors but also as better prepared adults. “When I first got here, the goal was to produce a student who could leave this institution and be successful in life,” Craig said.

The results were undeniable—not just in medals, but in lives shaped. That, Craig insists, is what makes him most proud: “The graduation of our student-athletes. Many of them have gone on to be successful in their hometowns. The fact that many of our Track & Field athletes are still here in Bakersfield, involved with the community in various capacities, and the footprint that they left. That most excites me.”

Collatz agrees, pointing to Craig’s enduring influence: “Charlie is an amazing human being. With all his toughness and his demands, his discipline, he truly cared for those kids. He went out of his way to make sure if someone needed help, they would get it…Without Charlie, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Recognition of his contributions has come steadily over the years. In 2008, Craig was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. But being part of CSUB’s very first Hall of Fame class carries a unique significance. “Being first is always exciting,” Craig reflected. “I knew at some point in time that I might get in the Hall, but when I got a call from the Athletic Director and he said that I’m in the inaugural Hall of Fame, that floored me. I’m very proud and appreciative of that.”

For Charlie Craig, the Hall of Fame induction is not just about trophies and titles. It’s about the relationships forged, the values instilled, and the enduring spirit of a program he helped bring to life. As CSUB prepares to honor him this fall, the Roadrunner community will be reminded that its Track and Field legacy—and much of its athletic culture—was built on the relentless vision of a man who saw hidden points where others did not, and who always believed in the potential of his student-athletes both on and off the field.

Those interested in celebrating the career and legacy of Craig on Oct. 25 can purchase tickets for the Induction Ceremony at the link below.

~GoRunners.com~