Eric Sorenson
On Saturday, March 8th, the National Football Foundation will honor Arizona State Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator, Charlie Ragle, with the Distinguished Arizonan Award.
Here’s more on Ragle and the honor.
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Charlie Ragle’s positive energy in both coaching, and life, is infectious.
A three-time Arizona high school state championship head coach at Chaparral, Ragle is now the Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at ASU.
His rise in the coaching ranks has taken him to northern California and Idaho, but he’s happy to be back in the community where it all started.
“Arizona will always have a special place in my heart,” Ragle reflected. “From spending many holidays here as a child, to building my career here and having so much success in the state. I met my wife here. We had our kids in Scottsdale.
Humbled and blessed!!🔱🔱 https://t.co/2QhIwSGrRc
— Charlie Ragle (@RagleCharlie) February 6, 2025
“Though I moved around to different places in my college career, the Valley was never far from my heart. There truly is no better state to live in and raise a family than here.”
Growing up in neighboring New Mexico, he would frequently visit family in Arizona.
Ragle first got the itch to coach playing Techmo Bowl with friends as a little boy. He moved to the Valley full-time in 1999, and took his first teaching and coaching job as the defensive coordinator at Moon Valley High School, before eventually joining the staff at Chaparral in the same role, as his resume continued to build and flourish.
Last season he helped ASU to a Big 12 Conference Championship and birth in the College Football Playoffs in just his second year on staff, working under head coach Kenny Dillingham, who he coached at Chaparral.
For Ragle, coaching has always been much more meaningful than simply the wins and losses on the field.
“The relationships I’ve built with people over the last 25 years, that’s really what it’s all about,” he explained.
Looking forward to Saturday’s sold out National Football Foundation Scholar-athlete event. @RagleCharlie and @Jody_Jackson will both be honored in the program with the prestigious, Distinguished Arizona Award. Life of a football coach and broadcaster can be a rollercoaster. pic.twitter.com/VBUMeQZQgT
— Brad Cesmat (@bradcesmat) March 3, 2025
“I think, obviously, life is about experiences as you grow and get older. I think it’s the value of people and understanding people – not just young people, but working on a staff.”
Ragle’s hard work and commitment to excellence on and off the field, make him more than deserving for this recognition.
“It’s a surreal moment for me,” he said. “This is extremely humbling with the list of previous awardees and this is extra special knowing that my uncle, Nick Balich, won this same award in 1997..”
Congratulations for Charlie Ragle, our 2024 Distinguished Arizonan Award recipient.
