What a day! Thank you, Coach Chuck Rohe

By Christian D’Orazio

Coppley, A short conveyance of the impact of Coach Chuck Rohe’s influence in my life. Approximately in the spring of 68. I came to coach’s office in an extremely emotional state and told him I was leaving Tennessee that day to pursue enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. Somehow, I wanted to pursue a role in a foreign war that had devastated lives of many of my friends. I felt I was wasting my time in an academic environment, where I saw no real end in sight. Coach like a father to a son, told me that my decision wasn’t real wise, and that I should think about it, and that he would personally help me, if I were interested in joining the Marine Corps, to become an officer, a delayed process. As Jeff Clark had already gone through a similar background, in terms of being a Marine officer, Coach solicited his help and support to get me to Nashville into a specialized program called PLC platoon leader class.

I begrudgingly accepted his wisdom and support. I spent the summer of 1969 at Quantico doing 10 arduous weeks of Basic training, which again delayed my official entry. His approach delayed my entry into the Marine Corps well past the height of the Vietnam War, and probably save my life as young Marine Officers has a short life expectancy in 1968. As the story goes, I joined the Marine Corps as an officer in late 1970 and basically, I didn’t leave the Corps until 2012 when I retired in full honors, as the reputed “Father of Fitness” for the Marine Corps, the creator of the “Semper Fit program.”

As an officer I was able to continue Track and Field.  I won the 1973 Quantico relays triple jump and Inter-service championships qualifying for the World military, games in Florence Italy known as CISM, and the 1972 Olympic trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.  As a footnote, I recently, in my capacity as an ambassador to the Marine Corps Marathon, recommended that they create their 50th anniversary marathon in 2025 into an international event. My idea, through much politics, was accepted, and there will be a CISM incorporated into the 50th Marine Corps Marathon Anniversary year. In reality my whole life was transformed in one office visit to Coach Rohe. There are probably few salesman anywhere that could have changed my mind or heart. For Coach, this was done, all in a days work. I will forever be grateful to Coach Chuck Rohe for taking up his valuable time in making a total paradigm shift in the pathway of my life.