Chuck Long was named executive director of the Iowa Sports Foundation last fall. Born in Oklahoma and raised in Wheaton, Ill., Chuck was a record-setting quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes under Hall of Fame Coach Hayden Fry.
Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP): Was football always in your blood?
Chuck: Growing up, we didn't play video games. We were outside all day and played whatever sport was in season. My first love was basketball, then baseball and finally football. But I stuck with football and wanted to be a starting quarterback by the time I reached junior high. I finally got the chance when I was a high school freshman.
Iowa FFP: How did you land at the University of Iowa?
Chuck: I wasn't recruited very heavily while in high school. We were a running team that played great defense. I attempted five passes per game. Maybe. But we won a state championship and that got me a look by several schools. One was Iowa. I was the last scholarship offered by Coach Hayden Fry in 1980.
Iowa FFP: How were you invited to lead the Iowa Sports Foundation?
Chuck: I was working for Holmes Murphy in Cedar Rapids when my boss came in one day last August and said I had a phone call and that I better take it. On the line was Doug Reichardt, the foundation's board chairman and former Holmes Murphy CEO. He thought I was the right person, and after a short visit, with Doug, I immediately knew it was the perfect fit.
Iowa FFP: You appreciate farmers a great deal. Why?
Chuck: Coach Fry always emphasized the important role of farmers. During my senior year in 1985, he touted the fact that America needs farmers on our helmets because he knew farm families were struggling. Coach always said, "Charlie, if you want to get in good with the Iowa people you have to first get in good with the Iowa farmer." Hayden loves farmers and I do, too.
Iowa FFP: What comes to mind when you think about farming?
Chuck: Coach Fry and his staff. Also, my grandparents. They would leave the farm in Oklahoma to travel to Iowa City and watch me play on Saturdays. The next day, we'd take a drive into the countryside. Coming from Oklahoma where the dirt's red, grandpa loved seeing Iowa's rich, black soil.
Iowa FFP: What do farming and football have in common?
Chuck: Long hours devoted to perfecting your skills. Persevering through the highs and lows and getting the job done no matter what the obstacles.
Iowa FFP: What one thing should people know about the Iowa Sports Foundation?
Chuck: It has a presence in all 99 counties, is strong and poised for growth. We help people live more active and healthier lives and we do that through innovative programs, including Live Healthy Iowa, Iowa Games, Adaptive Sports Iowa and Senior Games.
Iowa FFP: Why is the Iowa Food & Family Project an ideal partner?
Chuck: Iowa's farmers are about improving just like our athletes. Farmers are devoted to growing good food, much of which is enjoyed locally. I love the home-grown aspect of that and the chance to share what farmers do with our more than 250,000 participants.
Iowa FFP: Speaking of farming, if you could do just one farm activity, what would it be?
Chuck: I've always wanted to hop aboard one of those tractors with all the bells and whistles and make a pass across the field. Maybe I'll get the chance this spring.
Iowa FFP: What do you recall about meeting Coach Fry for the first time?
Chuck: We met at a restaurant in Coralville during a recruiting trip to Iowa. I immediately knew he was special because of his charisma and the coaches and people he had around him.
Iowa FFP: If you could choose a most memorable moment from your college career, what would it be?
Chuck: Defeating Michigan 12-10 on a last-second field goal by kicker Rob Houghtlin. I will never forget the euphoria of the crowd and that moment.
More about Chuck
In 1986, he was the 12th overall pick in the National Football League draft and played professionally for the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams. Chuck spent time as a college and professional football coach and currently serves as an analyst for the Big 10 Network. He lives in Ankeny and, with wife Lisa, has five children: Lindsay, 26; Samantha, 24; Nathan, 22; Zachary, 20 and Maddy, 18.