Fund Purpose Provides scholarship support to graduating seniors of Corydon Central High School, based on participation in athletics for three years, successful & improved academic performance, financial need & community service.
Fund Story The Charlie L. Phillips Scholarship Fund was established at the Harrison County Community Foundation in 2003 to honor Charlie upon his retirement. The fund provides scholarship support to graduating seniors of Corydon Central High School. The selection is based on academic performance, athletics participation, financial need and community service participation.
A native of Alton, Illinois, Charlie Phillips was born November 24, 1935. He graduated from Atherton High School in Louisville in 1953 and then enrolled at the University of Louisville where he played football and ran track for 2 years. Charlie played along with the legendary Johnny Unitas. He then enrolled at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky where he also played football and ran track. His 1955 football team was undefeated and had the highest yards per game average in the nation, a record that still stands. In 2005 Charlie and his fellow teammates were inducted into the Centre College Hall of Fame. In 1957 Charlie was drafted into the 2nd Army division special services at Fort Knox, Kentucky. There he played football, track and coached as well. Charlie graduated college from the University of Louisville in 1960 with a triple major, Physical Education, Economics and Social Studies. He played one season with the Louisville Raiders.
Charlie began coaching at Corydon Central High School in 1963, though he taught at Heth Washington Elementary for his first year.
In 1968 he was Coach of the Year for the Mid-Southern Conference in track. In 1972 he was Coach of the Year Mid-Southern Conference in Football. In his coaching career, Charlie had two High School All Americans, Danny Kost and Ron Timberlake. Ron’s son Jason is now the head football coach at Corydon Central High School.
Charlie married his wife, Suellen in 1960. Charlie and Suellen have two children, Cari Phillips Thomas and Christie Phillips Darnall.
Charlie said, “I was flabbergasted when they told me they were going to start this scholarship. It kind of humbled me.”
When asked for what he is most proud, Charlie said “to see all of the athletes that have done well and succeeded. I’m just thrilled with the way most of the kids have turned out. They always come back to say hello.”
Scholarship Recipients 2005 - Alicia Nord 2006 - Jeanne Hood 2007 - Matthew Karnes 2008 - Mary Conrad 2009 - Harrison Mann, Brian Baker 2010 - Heidi Zimmerman 2011 - Brandon Dunaway, Katlyn Whelan 2012 - Ashley Crawhorn, Tyler Shewmaker 2013 - Marcus Jones, Kayla Uhl 2014 - Emily Barry, Jacob Pitts 2015 - Hayley Hill, Quinton Coffman 2016 - Adam Yeager, Hanna Seacat 2017 - Elisabeth Blackburn, Joseph Brann 2018 - Elizabeth Thomas, Blake Wiseman 2019 - Grace Carver, Noah Windell 2020 - Cierra Smith, Jesse Wolfe 2021 - Samuel Craig, Emily Wiseman 2022 - Emma Bailey, Hunter Crain