Charlie Siesky
Charles “Charlie” Siesky is a former track and cross-country coach and athlete from Evansville, Indiana who spent nearly four decades teaching and coaching at Harrison High School. He became one of the most successful track coaches in Evansville history.
Bosse High School and Indiana University
Siesky attended Bosse High School in Evansville, where he was a standout distance runner.
He finished second in the mile at the 1955 Evansville IHSAA sectional and fourth in the event in 1956. Siesky was also a member of Bosse’s mile relay team that finished second at the 1956 sectional.
Following high school, Siesky continued his running career at Indiana University, competing for the Hoosiers from 1958 through 1961.
Harrison High School
After college, Siesky returned to Evansville and became a teacher and coach at Harrison High School, where he spent nearly 40 years.
Siesky coached both track and cross country and built Harrison into one of the area’s most consistently successful programs.
During his career, Siesky coached three IHSAA individual state champions in boys track. His Harrison boys track teams captured an impressive 17 sectional championships.
His success extended to cross country. Siesky coached:
- 10 girls cross-country sectional championship teams
- 5 girls cross-country regional championship teams
- 5 boys cross-country sectional championship teams
Siesky coached numerous outstanding Harrison athletes during his career, including future Indiana University basketball star and NBA player Calbert Cheaney, who competed in track at Harrison.
Honors and Legacy
Siesky’s accomplishments earned him induction into the Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame in 2002.
He was also honored with a Southern Indiana Athletic Conference Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Greater Evansville Track & Field Hall of Fame.
In 2024, Siesky received another major honor with induction into the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame as a track and field coach.
From competing at Bosse High School and Indiana University to spending nearly four decades coaching generations of athletes at Harrison High School, Charlie Siesky became an important figure in the history of track and cross country in Evansville.