Colin Charlson, Jarrett Wood, and Chauncey Charlson.
Colin Charlson decided within hours of his first visit to Winona State University in the spring of 2002 that he had found the right place to attend college and continue his football career.
His younger brother, Chauncey, had a similar experience, just a few years later. It only took one visit and a meeting with Coach Tom Sawyer ‘83 to secure his status a Warrior.
The Charlson brothers both received WSU athletic scholarships, and both made the most of their careers as student-athletes. Colin was a two-year football captain, in 2005 and 2006, and Chauncey followed him as a captain in 2009. They graduated, returned to the Twin Cities to begin successful careers as third-generation State Farm agents, got married, and are starting their own families.
Their commitment to Winona State remains as strong —or perhaps even stronger, than ever. Colin, Chauncey and their parents, Cary and Cindy, established the Charlson Family Warrior Leaders Scholarship in the spring of 2015. The endowed scholarship will benefit Warrior student-athletes who demonstrate leadership and community service.
“I like to give back and pass down any successes we have had to Winona State,” Chauncey said. “So I’m very happy to help out in any way that we can. I want to do it because I’m competitive and I want to see future generations succeed.”
“I think that giving back is something that’s really important,” Colin said. “Whether it’s in the community, in our organization at State Farm, or giving money to an institution I believe in. What really led me to want to do it (establish a scholarship) was a conversation with Coach Sawyer about, as alumni, how do we get more involved? How do we make sure the same tradition of excellence continues?”
“Scholarships for people that deserve to be rewarded for what they do on and off the field are our way of making a difference and giving back to the football program,” said Colin.
WSU football player Jarrett Wood was the first recipient of the Charlson scholarship. Wood, a junior linebacker from Vernon Hills, Ill., served as team captain as a junior — one of the few non-seniors to be selected for that role since Colin had the honor a decade ago.
Colin, Chauncey, and Jarrett met for the first time the week before the Homecoming game. The three of them made an immediate, strong connection.
“Coach Sawyer had described them to me and I had read all about them already,” Jarrett said. “One day at practice, (Sawyer) was standing on the sideline talking to a couple of big guys and he called me over. It was pretty exciting being able to meet them and seeing where the scholarship came from.”
Colin, Chauncey, and Jarrett had breakfast together the morning before the Sept. 26 Homecoming game against St. Cloud State, and observing Jarrett interact with his teammates assured Colin and Chauncey that they had chosen the right person.
“I looked at him and saw myself,” Colin said. Chauncey quipped, “He’s better looking and speaks better than you!”
“Probably a better football player, too,” Colin joked. “But he exemplifies what we want at WSU, which is a leader, involved in the community, and someone that his teammates look up to.”
“He is a true leader who has put in a lot of time and commitment. Watching him during the game, he played until the whistle blew, someone who embodies the Warrior spirit,” Chauncey said.
Colin, 31, and Chauncey, 29, said establishing a scholarship as soon as they could, made sense to them. They have also returned to campus to participate in Alumni College.
“You have to get started,” Chauncey said. “If you don’t get started sooner rather than later, you’re going to become more and more detached from the program. We need to establish some sort of understanding where the football program has given us so much, the university has given us so much, doesn’t it make sense to give back a little?” Jarrett said getting to know Colin and Chauncey has been inspiring.
“I was honored to get the scholarship; it’s a pretty big deal for me and my family,” he said. “Meeting those two guys who have been successful at a pretty young age, that’s the kind of guy I want to be, and I definitely want to be able to give back like they did.”
