Charles Foster Position: Assistant Coach

Meet Coach Charles Foster:
Charles Foster is entering his second season as an assistant coach with the Tigers working with the sprints, hurdles and relay programs. Last season, Foster coached four Tigers to NCAA All-American status while collecting two NCAA National Championship titles and an American record in the 200m. Six of his student-athletes won individual conference championships either indoor or outdoor in the 100m, 200m, 60mH, 110mHH and 400mIH. The 4x100m relay team also won that event at the conference meet and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships.

Foster is a former world record holder at 13.20 in the 110m high hurdles. He was ranked number one in the world in the event in 1974 and 1975 and placed fourth at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Foster also was a member of the world-record setting Shuttle Hurdle Relay team.

The 1974 NCAA National Champion in the 110m hurdles, Foster was an 18-time NCAA All-American at North Carolina Central in the 55m hurdles, 110m hurdles and the 4x100m relay. He was the TAC (now the USATF) National Champion in the 110m hurdles from 1974-1976 and was the Penn Relays Champion in the event from 1973-75.

Foster came to Clemson from Raleigh, NC, where he worked with the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games as the Director of Venue Management from 1997-99. Prior to his time in Raleigh, Foster worked with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, beginning in 1992. He directed five events for the 1996 Games: track and field, baseball, softball, sport shooting and field hockey. Foster also was responsible for coordinating the opening ceremonies plus the training and competition schedules. Prior to the Games, he designed the track inside Olympic Stadium. He is also a member of the United State Olympic Committee, having served on several committees including the reknowned coaching committee.

Foster was an assistant coach at North Carolina for six years prior to his work in Atlanta, where he was instrumental in the Tar Heels' number one ranking in the national dual meet power rankings. At North Carolina, Foster coached 35 NCAA All-Americans, including 1996 Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson.

A 1975 graduate of North Carolina Central with a bachelor's degree in recreational administration, Foster is married to the former Sophronia Qualls of Enfield, N.C. The couple has one daughter, Sydney (4).

"Coach Foster is an outstanding coach who during his career has coached numerous athletes successfully at the collegiate, Olympic and professional level," said Pollock. "With his expertise, he has coached seven NCAA All-Americans and 11 ACC champions in just his first year with the Tigers. Under his direction, our sprint, hurdle and relay programs have been elevated to a higher level. Charles is an excellent instructor and technician but more importantly a tremendous role model to our student athletes."