Weber State mourns the passing of legendary coach Chick Hislop
2/22/2023 8:17:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Men's Cross Country
Coach Hislop was the head coach at Weber State for 38 years from 1969-2006. He led the Wildcats to 21 Big Sky Championships and coached multiple All-Americans.
Weber State mourns the passing of legendary Hall of Fame track and field coach Charles "Chick" Hislop who passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at the age of 86. Hislop served as the head coach at Weber State from 1969-2006.
Hislop was synonymous with Ogden and Weber State throughout his life. He ran track and graduated from Ben Lomond High School in 1955. He then spent two years on the track team at Weber Junior College where he earned Junior College All-American honors in the two mile run and finished fifth in the national championships. He graduated from Weber in 1957 and then transferred to Utah State where was also a member of the track team and graduated in 1959.
He then began a coaching career that would span nearly 50 years. Before becoming head coach at Weber State, he was the track and field coach at Ben Lomond High School from 1959-69.
He became the head coach at Weber State in 1969 and coached until 2006. His 38 years is the longest-tenured coach in any sport in Big Sky Conference history.
He had tremendous success as the coach of the Wildcats, guiding Weber State to 21 Big Sky Championships in cross country and track and field. He coached Weber State in 106 conference championships and over 1,000 total meets. He was honored as the Big Sky Coach of the Year 20 times during his career, the District VIII Coach of the Year three times, and was named the National Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1991, when the Wildcat team finished fourth in the country.
During his 38 years at Weber State, he coached 26 athletes to All-American honors 46 times in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. He coached two athletes, Farley Gerber and Charles Clinger, who won NCAA individual championships. Hislop also coached five native Utahns who have broken four minutes in the mile.
He led Weber State to nine Big Sky Conference titles in outdoor track and field, seven in cross country, and five in indoor track and field.
Hislop was one of the foremost authorities in the United States on steeplechase training and technique. That knowledge sent him around the world as an expert speaker. In the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games he spoke to the International Coaches Convention about the steeplechase. In the summer of 1996, he served as an Assistant Coach for the United States Men's Track and Field Team at the Atlanta Olympic Games, where he was the primary coach of the USA long distance runners.
He also served on the NCAA Rules Committee for seven years and was the Chair of the Cross Country Championships for four years. In 1985, Hislop served as the Sports Ambassador to Colombia.
He was also the wrestling coach at Weber State from 1973-78, performing that duty along with serving as the head track and cross country coach.
Hislop is a member of multiple Hall of Fame organizations. He was inducted into the Weber State Hall of Fame in 2007, the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2010.
The track at Stewart Stadium bears the name of the Charles "Chick" Hislop track.
His wife Diane passed away in October 2022. The couple was married for 64 years and had five children, 18 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
"Coach Hislop is an extraordinary example of all that is good with Weber State," said WSU President Dr. Brad Mortensen. "He leaves behind a legacy of coaching in the Olympics, All-Americans, conference championships, but his many athletic successes pale in comparison to his individual successes. That is summed up by he and Diane creating an endowment to support the Chick Hislop Student-Athlete Academic Awards Banquet so our Wildcats could be appropriately honored for their academic achievements. Even though I was never on one of his teams officially, I feel like every time I was around him he was coaching me to be a better human, and I'll always treasure that about Coach Hislop."
"On behalf of Weber State Athletics, our thoughts are with the Hislop family," said Weber State Director of Athletics Tim Crompton. "Coach Hislop was larger than life. His influence in our institution and in our community were unique, to say the least. I am one of many who had the privilege to know coach Hislop. He will be missed, I will miss him. He is a legend."
Hislop was synonymous with Ogden and Weber State throughout his life. He ran track and graduated from Ben Lomond High School in 1955. He then spent two years on the track team at Weber Junior College where he earned Junior College All-American honors in the two mile run and finished fifth in the national championships. He graduated from Weber in 1957 and then transferred to Utah State where was also a member of the track team and graduated in 1959.
He then began a coaching career that would span nearly 50 years. Before becoming head coach at Weber State, he was the track and field coach at Ben Lomond High School from 1959-69.
He became the head coach at Weber State in 1969 and coached until 2006. His 38 years is the longest-tenured coach in any sport in Big Sky Conference history.
He had tremendous success as the coach of the Wildcats, guiding Weber State to 21 Big Sky Championships in cross country and track and field. He coached Weber State in 106 conference championships and over 1,000 total meets. He was honored as the Big Sky Coach of the Year 20 times during his career, the District VIII Coach of the Year three times, and was named the National Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1991, when the Wildcat team finished fourth in the country.
During his 38 years at Weber State, he coached 26 athletes to All-American honors 46 times in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. He coached two athletes, Farley Gerber and Charles Clinger, who won NCAA individual championships. Hislop also coached five native Utahns who have broken four minutes in the mile.
He led Weber State to nine Big Sky Conference titles in outdoor track and field, seven in cross country, and five in indoor track and field.
Hislop was one of the foremost authorities in the United States on steeplechase training and technique. That knowledge sent him around the world as an expert speaker. In the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games he spoke to the International Coaches Convention about the steeplechase. In the summer of 1996, he served as an Assistant Coach for the United States Men's Track and Field Team at the Atlanta Olympic Games, where he was the primary coach of the USA long distance runners.
He also served on the NCAA Rules Committee for seven years and was the Chair of the Cross Country Championships for four years. In 1985, Hislop served as the Sports Ambassador to Colombia.
He was also the wrestling coach at Weber State from 1973-78, performing that duty along with serving as the head track and cross country coach.
Hislop is a member of multiple Hall of Fame organizations. He was inducted into the Weber State Hall of Fame in 2007, the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2010.
The track at Stewart Stadium bears the name of the Charles "Chick" Hislop track.
His wife Diane passed away in October 2022. The couple was married for 64 years and had five children, 18 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
"Coach Hislop is an extraordinary example of all that is good with Weber State," said WSU President Dr. Brad Mortensen. "He leaves behind a legacy of coaching in the Olympics, All-Americans, conference championships, but his many athletic successes pale in comparison to his individual successes. That is summed up by he and Diane creating an endowment to support the Chick Hislop Student-Athlete Academic Awards Banquet so our Wildcats could be appropriately honored for their academic achievements. Even though I was never on one of his teams officially, I feel like every time I was around him he was coaching me to be a better human, and I'll always treasure that about Coach Hislop."
"On behalf of Weber State Athletics, our thoughts are with the Hislop family," said Weber State Director of Athletics Tim Crompton. "Coach Hislop was larger than life. His influence in our institution and in our community were unique, to say the least. I am one of many who had the privilege to know coach Hislop. He will be missed, I will miss him. He is a legend."