Charles “Torp” Torpey defined the word “coach." A true coach is expected to wear many hats: trainer, psychologist, travel planner, nutritionist, confidante, mentor, father figure, and friend. More than anything, Torp knew how and when to play each role. Since 1993 Torp led the LaSalle University Track and Cross Country teams. During this period the program achieved a level of success previously unseen at the University. Torp’s teams won fifteen Atlantic 10 team titles. His Explorers earned an amazing three hundred individual conference titles and nine All-American awards.
While Torp coached All-Americans and conference champions, he devoted as much time and energy to the other guys. Torp was known in the track community for his unmatched inner fire and for doing “more with less” than anybody else. Torp possessed a burning passion for running and life that was contagious to anyone lucky enough to meet him. Give Torp a handful of ten-minute two-milers, and he’d produce a championship caliber cross country team. Give Torp four guys who ran 1:59 in high school and he’d give you a sub 7:30 4x800 Meter Relay. For Torp, the name of the game was improvement, the improvement of each member of his team in every aspect of his or her life. It wasn’t unusual for Torp to spend hours in his office talking to athletes who were having a tough time in class, at home, or in any aspect of their lives. Torp truly cared.
I was one of the “other guys”, a walk-on whom Torp gladly welcomed onto the team. For four years, I ran three seasons a year, rubbing elbows with LaSalle Hall of Famers like Marc Cianfrani, Brian Gallagher, Troy Harry and Kevin Myles. I’d love to say that I was one of the many success stories of guys who came in with less-than-stellar credentials who grew into conference champions, but that’s not the case. Despite this, every day I arrived at track practice eager to listen to another one of Torp’s legendary speeches, or to watch him challenge somebody to a sit-up contest. No matter how I ran, Torp never gave up on me, or pushed me to the side. Rather, he tried everything he could to see me succeed, training me with the distance runners, the mid-distance runners and even the sprinters, anything to allow me the opportunity to contribute to a cause bigger than myself. More importantly, during the all-too-frequent lows of my running career, Torp never let me give up on myself. He once told me that while these guys may be “kicking my butt now, in ten years they’d all be fat and I’d still be running.” While I don’t know about all of my teammates getting fat, Torp was right about the second half. Torp instilled in me a love for the sport of track and field. I still occasionally compete in all-comers meets, running as Torp would say in “my own Olympics.” I’d often see Torp at these meets and without fail, he’d cheer for me as I passed by as if I still wore the blue and gold of LaSalle.
I hope that every day I honor Torp’s legacy when I arrive at practice to coach my high school team, trying to pass on the wisdom and passion of one of track and field’s greatest coaches.
Charles Torpey died of a heart attack on Friday July 1st at Valley Green, doing what he loved, coaching. Torp, you touched more lives than you will ever know and you are already sorely missed.
Rest in Peace.
Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at Church of St. Mary, 40 Spring Mount Road, Schwenksville. Internment immediately following at Washington Memorial Chapel, Valley Forge.
Visitation: Friends may call for the viewing on Friday evening from 7-9 PM at the R.L. Williams, Jr. Funeral Home, Skippack Pike at Cedars Rd. Skippack.