Football
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- Title:
- Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach
- Email:
- cskalaski@liberty.edu
Charlie Skalaski enters his ninth season as a member of the Flames’ coaching staff. After coaching the tight ends in 2003, he transitioned to his current position as wide receivers coach, while also serving as the program’s Director of Football Development from 2003 to 2005.
Skalaski was named Recruiting Coordinator in 2006 after earning a reputation as a top-notch recruiter for Liberty’s highly successful efforts in the state of Florida. His expertise and passion for recruiting are evident when looking at Liberty’s excellent recruiting classes the past several years.
While continuing to enjoy success in Florida and becoming a force in their home state of Virginia, the Flames have expanded their recruiting efforts to a truly global effort. In addition to the national representation that Liberty has on its roster, there is an international presence with players signed from Canada and Germany the last several years.
Based on the wide receivers production over the last five years, Skalaski is earning another reputation, that of an excellent coach. In 2005, he was instrumental in helping two of Liberty’s younger receivers record stellar seasons as Brandon Turner (594 yards) and Wynton Jackson (511 yards) posted two of the better sophomore seasons in program history.
Skalaski continued to guide the successful tandem in 2006, with Turner named an all-conference wide receiver for a second-consecutive season and Jackson named to the listing as a return specialist. Jackson led the team with 40 receptions and Turner caught 39 passes for 604 yards.
In 2007 the production continued to climb as Skalaski’s wide receivers caught 19 touchdown passes, helping the Flames shatter the school and conference scoring record (469 points/42.6 per game), while ranking No. 3 nationally in scoring offense.
The trifecta of Jackson, Turner and Dominic Bolden combined to record nearly 70 percent of Liberty’s receiving yards, while hauling in 15 touchdowns. Jackson led the trio with 641 receiving yards and six touchdowns, helping him take home Big South all-conference honors.
In 2008, Skalaski had to replace two all-conference receivers who had been starters the previous three years. Instead of enduring a drop in production, the receiving corps increased its numbers in terms of yards, touchdowns, receptions and yards per catch in helping the Flames to their first-ever 10 win season.
Dominic Bolden enjoyed one of the finest seasons of any receiver in the country with 56 receptions for 1,056 yards, nine touchdowns receiving and two rushing. The duo of Bolden and Jonathan Crawford combined for 1,769 receiving yards to become the second most potent tandem in program history.
Bolden and Crawford were both named all conference, the first time in school history that the Flames had two receivers named all conference in the same season. In addition, fellow senior receiver Matt Lambros added to the recognition when he was the tenth player in program history selected in the Canadian Football League draft.
During the last two seasons, Skalaski has helped Chris Summers emerge as one of the nation’s best FCS wide receivers. In 2010, the 6-foot-4 player set a new program standard with 1,081 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns, helping him earn All-America honors.
Skalaski adds a unique blend of business and coaching experience to the Flames program as he spent more than 20 years in corporate America in both sales and managerial roles.
Prior to joining the Liberty staff, Skalaski worked for Steelcase Inc., an international company which is the world’s largest manufacturer of high quality office environments and furniture. During his tenure, Skalaski held various sales and management positions, culminating with his promotion in 1998 to sales manager of Steelcase’s largest field office, located in New York City. Before his days at Steelcase, Skalaski enjoyed several successful years at the Xerox Corporation, earning the organization’s highest sales recognition in the President’s Club.
Skalaski got his start in coaching in 1978 as a graduate assistant coach at Florida. He served in that capacity for three years, working on both sides of the ball and learning under the tutelage of coaching greats Mike Shanahan and Steve Spurrier - assistant coaches at Florida during that time span. More recently, Skalaski served as a volunteer assistant coach for Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, N.J., during the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Skalaski received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Florida in 1978 and was awarded a prestigious U.S. Department of Justice internship. He also was inducted into Florida Blue Key, the university's highest leadership and honorary society. He went on to earn his master’s degree in public administration in 1980 from Florida.
Skalaski developed a reputation as a tough and smart competitor during his playing days as a defensive back for the Gators. Demonstrating his knowledge of the game, he once played all four positions in the secondary against Houston his junior year. He was a member of three bowl teams: 1974 Sugar Bowl, 1975 Gator Bowl and 1976 Sun Bowl.
Skalaski is a native of Miami, Fla., and he and his wife, Ann, have three children – Sarah, Charlie IV, and Jacob (Jake).
The Skalaski File
Year at Liberty: Ninth
Coaching Experience:
2003 – Present (8 years) - Liberty (TE, WR, Dev., RC)
2001-02 (2 years) – Ridgewood HS (AC)
1978-80 (3 years) – Florida (GA, DE, WR, DB)
Recruiting Area: Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Southwest Florida, South Georgia, International Players
Education: B.A., Criminal Justice (Florida, ’78); M.A., Public Administration (Florida, ’80)
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
Wife: Ann
Children: Sarah (23), Charlie (21) and Jake (15)
