Courtney Johnson

Chuck Kroll will be remembered for his football career forever. At least thus far in Pennsylvania.

On Oct. 18, the Highlands Ranch resident was inducted into the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in is hometown of Scranton, Pa. The one-time defensive back and safety has had a lengthy football career from player to coach.

Kroll was a three-year starter at Ithaca College. While at Ithaca, he was named All-Conference two seasons, All East-Defensive Back for the Small College Division and played in the Division III national championship. He also played three years of lacrosse.

His coaching career began at Albany State University, where he was the assistant football coach and head junior varsity baseball coach. At Washington & Lee University, he was an assistant football coach and the head baseball coach.

When he relocated to Colorado, he became an associate professor, assistant football coach-defensive coordinator and assistant lacrosse coach at the Colorado School of Mines. Most recently, he coached his two daughters through the lacrosse program at South Suburban Recreation Center. He has one daughter who now plays field hockey at Colorado State University. His other daughter plays field hockey and lacrosse at Mountain Vista High School.

In late June, a high school reporter who followed his career all these years notified him he was chosen for the Eastern Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

“He called me and told me that I had quite a few votes,” Kroll said. “I told him that he had to be kidding. I am still flabbergasted. The fact that people still remember me is a great honor since I haven’t lived in the East for many years. My peers elected me. They are the friends I played with and first started coaching with.”

Kroll grew up in Scranton in a football family. His father played semi-professional ball when he returned from the war. He had two uncles who also played, one of them an All-American at Tennessee. With his older brother and some neighborhood friends, Kroll would spend his weekends and time after school playing football.

“We would go down to a lot and play in the coal ashes and dirt,” he said. “Any place we could make a field, we would play.”

Besides being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Kroll says the most memorable experience of his career is his senior year of college when the Bombers were undefeated. The team won the 1979 NCAA national championship Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl as well as the Lambert Cup, presented to the top small-college program in the East each season.

He credits the amazing support of his family, especially his father, and the late Jim Butterfield, his coach at Ithaca, for his ability to accomplish so much in sport and life.

“Coach Butterfield would kick my butt when I needed it or put his arm around me when I needed that,” Kroll said. “He was a great man.”

His mother and father only missed two games his entire career and even went to see him coach.

“You can’t put a price tag on having the support of family and friends,” he said.

He hopes his success proves to others that with heart and dedication, one can go far.

“This award is all about my involvement in sports,” Kroll said. “If it wasn’t for football, I would have probably never left Scranton. Sports have been the vehicle for me to grow personally and professionally and where I have created the best friendships. For those that aren’t fortunate enough to make it to the professional level, sports can be the vehicle to take you wherever you want to go.”