Tampa Bay Title IX Trailblazers: Carol Chalu
When girls sports came of age in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Chalu built a formidable dynasty by leading the Terrapins to six consecutive volleyball state championships (part of an even dozen she captured at the school)
CAROL CHALU
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Where would Tampa Bay area volleyball be without Carol Chalu, the legendary force of nature from Tampa Prep?
When girls sports came of age in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Chalu built a formidable dynasty by leading the Terrapins to six consecutive volleyball state championships (part of an even dozen she captured at the school). In Chalu’s spare time, she won a basketball state title and became Florida’s first female athletic director at the high-school level, serving for three decades.
Notably, she helped to establish the Tampa Bay Juniors club program, unique for its time, which became the foundation for an unprecedented amount of college-bound talent in the sport.
Chalu had a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and preferred to keep it private. When Chalu died last month, her impact could be quantified by the amazing tributes from all corners.
The Tampa Prep-Berkeley Prep volleyball matches became one of the area’s must-see sporting events. For 20 consecutive years (1980-99), either Tampa Prep or Berkeley Prep won a state championship (and sometimes, while in different classifications, they both did).
In 21 volleyball seasons, Chalu was 602-100. The Tampa Prep volleyball court is named in her honor. She has been inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
You can measure Chalu’s impact by numbers. Or you can check in with her former players — volleyball All-Americans, wives, mothers, doctors, lawyers, business owners, teachers, coaches — who are bonded by one belief. Carol Chalu made a difference.
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— Joey Johnston