Boys' Club of St. Louis

Charlie Nash

Charlie Nash is the epitome of the Boys' Club of St. Louis success story. Nash was a typical neighborhood kid with the gift of a strong personality and the curse of little leadership in his life. It's safe to say that Nash was struggling to find his path until he found his life's calling at the Boys' Club of St. Louis.

Charlie Nash started his affiliation with the club as a member and instantly found a father figure in Ken Wild. Under the nurturing of Wild, Nash excelled in all sports and played a key role on the legion baseball teams and varsity basketball teams. Nash captained many teams and accomplished numerous basketball records including most points scored.

Nash joined the Boys' Club professional staff as a Program Supervisor in October of 1964. He was promoted to Athletic Director in January of 1969. And it was as Athletic Director that Nash had the most significant impact in his career. Under Nash, the athletic programs flourished as the Boys' Club sported varsity teams at every significant age group in swimming, football, baseball, basketball and, later, soccer. Boys' Club teams, no matter the sport, earned reputations for their fundamental and competitive play and sportsmanlike personalities.

Nash enhanced an outreach relationship with many of St. Louis' college and professional teams and secured game tickets of Boys' Club members. Because of this program, Boys' Club members were treated to St. Louis University hockey games, basketball games and soccer games; St. Louis Cardinals football games; St. Louis Rams football games and St. Louis Cardinals baseball games.

Nash also continued Wild's tradition of staff mentorship by converting and developing members such as Ron Schmidt, Ralph Stevenson, Tom Wild, Larry Liszewski, Jim Hudson, Ray Cano and Bob Regan into professional staff with decorated careers at the Boys' Club.

Upon Wild's retirement in 1991, Nash assumed the leadership of the Club as executive director and held the post until his retirement in February of 2005. As a tribute to his lifetime of service and honor of his body of work, the Boys' Club Board of Directors named Nash, Director Emeritus. Nash formally retired at the end of 2007.