Charlie Coles' funeral service was held on Thursday in Millett Hall, on the basketball floor where he spent 18 years as a coach for Miami University.
Coles passed away last week. He was 71.
A 9 a.m. visitation drew family and friends from all walks of life, and players past and present, as well as contemporaries from the game that Coles loved so much. The 1 p.m. service saw hundreds in attendance, and lasted more than three hours. Testimony from those close to Coles were given a two-minute limit, but in a manner befitting of the late coach, lasted well over half of the service. Some stories brought laughs of joy and remembrance, while some were more solemn.
Of those testimonies, none were more passionate than that of assistant coach and former player Jermaine Henderson. As he took the stage and expounded to a chorus of "amens," Henderson moved many in the crowd to tears while explaining that, to him, Coles was a father figure and more.
"Charlie Coles was majestic," Henderson said. "Charlie Coles was powerful. Charlie Coles was kind. Charlie was a man. I got to work with, share with, cry with the biggest blessing in my life."
Coles was known as a star player in high school, averaging 44 points per game before committing to Miami. After playing for the RedHawks from 1962 to 1965, he started his coaching career with Ohio and Michigan high schools in 1967, before moving up to the collegiate level with Detroit and Central Michigan in the 80s. In 1994, Coles joined the Miami University staff, and just two years later was at the helm of the program. In those 16 years as head coach, Coles built a 266-225 record, suffering only five losing seasons in that time. He was named MAC Coach of the Year in 1987 and 2005, and won two MAC tournament titles in 1997 and 2007 with the RedHawks. He holds the record for career wins with Miami's program, and holds the MAC record for conference wins.
Of those that came to pay their respects, 33-year-old Julius "Juby" Johnson made one of the longer trips. Johnson played under Coles from 2000-2004, and currently plays professional basketball for Gravelines in France. To him, Coles was someone he looked up to, as well as a source of spiritual strength.
"Coach was definitely like a father to me," Johnson said. "I grew up in the church, and to see your head coach in church every Sunday, it meant a lot to me. It was an honor just to be around him, honestly. He was a class act ... and I loved him."
Miami athletic hall of famer Jerry Peirson was also in attendance. Pierson was a teammate of Coles' while at Miami in the 60s and recalled that Charlie was the kind of guy that made you feel like you mattered.
"The best thing about Charlie was that he also had little sayings, he'd say things all the time," Peirson said. "Little things like 'hey Jerry, I love you.' He had a way about him that made you feel like you were part of the family, and we all were. We were like brothers."
Coles is survived by his wife, Delores, along with his son Chris (wife Robin), daughter Mary Bennett (husband Craig), and his four grandchildren Tyson, Taya, C.J. Coles and Jazz Bennett.
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