Charlie Bales
- School
- Western Illinois University
- Position
- Defender
- Major
- Communications
Classroom
Bales enters the 2014 season on track to graduate in December with an undergraduate degree in Communications with a minor in Marketing. Charlie is a three-time member of the Summit League Academic Fall Honor Roll and a two-time Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence honoree. Bales has made Western Illinois’ Dean’s List all eight semesters and has posted a cumulative GPA of 3.599 on a 4.0 scale.
Character
Despite being sidelined for the 2013 season with a foot fracture, Bales reported for the pre-season two weeks early and served as a team leader and captain from the bench throughout the season. Charlie attended each practice and traveled to every away game possible even though participation was not an option.
Community
During the 2013-14 school year, Bales worked with “Rocky’s Reach”, a community outreach program that sends student-athletes into area elementary schools as mentors. Charlie’s work in the community assisted in a 2,134 hour effort by Western Illinois Athletics. Over his entire career Bales has helped the athletic department contribute over 8,000 hours to the community including time as a youth camp counselor for the Des Moines Menace soccer club. Before coming to Western Illinois, Bales also worked with “Meals on Wheels” by delivering warm meals to seniors in his community.
Competition
In three years of playing at Western Illinois, Bales assisted in leading the Leathernecks to two Summit League Tournament titles and two NCAA tournament appearances. He has been named First Team All-Summit League twice and Second Team All-Region once. In his freshman season, Charlie was selected to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team, and in his sophomore year was tabbed Summit League ‘Defensive Player of the Year’ along with Summit League Tournament ‘Most Valuable Player’ honors. In his career, Bales has taken 113 shots with 48 going on goal, notched eight assists and scored 4 goals, including the game-winner his sophomore year in the Summit League Tournament Championship match, advancing Western to the NCAA tournament.
