Sachem Hosts Charles R. Johnson Memorial Track & Field Meet

For the past 17 years, Sachem has been able to award Charles R. Johnson Memorial Scholarships to some of its finest student-athletes from the track and field programs, thanks to the generosity and support of the Sachem community.

The latest meet was held in late May and dozens of Sachem student-athletes competed in Coach Johnson’s honor (results are below).

In the Summer of 2006, the Sachem Family lost a legend: Charlie Johnson, a 29-year veteran of the district who impacted the lives of countless individuals both in the classroom and on the track. He began his career as a teacher at Seneca and later served as the first Social Studies Department Chairperson of Samoset Middle School in 2004. He also served as the Sachem and later Sachem North boys’ track and field coach throughout his teaching career.

Johnson coached within the middle and high school levels of cross country, winter, and spring track programs. He guided some of Sachem’s finest track and field athletes with the same passion and dedication he bestowed upon his kids in the classroom. He demanded from them their very best because that is what he gave in return. Throughout his career, Coach Johnson earned several high honors for his coaching and was often selected to coach the Section XI Track Team as it competed in the N.Y. State Championship Meets.

In December of 2022, Coach Johnson was inducted into the Sachem Athletic Hall of Fame.

Sachem North AP, Dr. John Galligan: “John Horst began the meet 17 years ago with the intention of creating an annual meet that encompassed the sport that he coached with the age level of students that he spent his career working with. Michelle Taylor and I taught with Charlie at Seneca and later at Samoset. He was our mentor, friend and colleague. John handed the meet off to us a little over 10 years ago after a 3-year hiatus due to COVID; it was important to us to make sure that we worked with the Sachem Boy and Girls’ Varsity and Middle School Track and Field Coaches to bring this tradition back.”John Horst, Sachem Hall of Fame Coach: “You never heard about the awards he won because he wanted his athletes to get praise as he was always self-conscious when it came to personal achievement.”