Charlie Baker is a part of the Senior Class here at Westminster. Charlie’s basketball journey began in the backyard. “I played in the backyard with dad a lot for fun and played pickup with neighbors. I liked basketball better than all my other sports,” said Charlie. Living in the Winghaven neighborhood of St. Charles, Charlie wasn’t the only one who loved the game. The neighborhood became his playground, where pickup games with the neighbors were frequent. He played for a local team called the Blazers through grade school. One of Charlie’s fondest memories was playing alongside his friend JD, who is still his teammate on the WCA Basketball Team. 

As a little kid, Charlie was good, but not the standout star. “As a little kid, I averaged 10 points. I grew super fast, so I was a big man most of the time,” said Charlie. He is still a big man on the team to this day. High school brought a series of injuries, the most serious being three shoulder surgeries and two other procedures. These setbacks cost him precious time on the court, and at one point, he had missed nearly two and a half years of basketball. The road to recovery was brutal, but he is now back on the court.

Even though he struggled, Charlie stuck to basketball. He found inspiration in the words of Shaquille O’Neal, who once said, “They tried to take me out, but I told my injuries, ‘I’m like a free throw—hard to beat, even when I miss!’” Alongside his love for the game, Charlie’s faith also grew. “I learned to trust God’s plan, even when it didn’t align with my own.” Charlie’s relationship with God became stronger, and through those struggles, he developed his character. Charlie does not receive the credit he deserved. From those early days in the backyard with his dad to the high school courts, Charlie showed that no matter the challenges, the love for the game never fades.