If Charlie Gover and his 1969 West Limestone High School football teammates needed any extra motivation, they found it in a story published by a local sports writer. The Wildcats football team posted a 4-6 record the previous season and the writer predicted West Limestone would win only one game in 1969. “It was like a kick in the stomach when we read that story. We set out to prove that guy wrong,” said the 2023 LCSHOF inductee.

And prove him wrong the Wildcats did and then some. West Limestone would register a 9-1 overall record with their only loss on the road at Ardmore High School by a touchdown. “We had great team chemistry,” said Gover. “We had a close group of guys who believed that we could have a good season. I remember during that time, the top eight teams in the state made the playoffs after the regular season was completed. We were ranked 9 th .”

Gover says the magical season almost didn’t happen for him and teammate Terry Farmer. “After our junior season, Terry and I decided to quit football. We told our head football coach Dwaine Allfrey that we didn’t want to play anymore. The next day, Terry had second thoughts and he asked Coach Allfrey if he could rejoin the team. Well, the day after, I went to see Coach Allfrey and told him I wanted back on the team. He told me that he would leave it up to the football team if they wanted Terry and I back on the team. Luckily, they voted us back on the team,” laughed Gover.

The speedy Gover, helped the Wildcats out score their opponents by nearly 200 points and posted six shutouts during his senior season. It was his running ability that would lead Gover to the next stop in his athletic career. He enrolled at Calhoun Community College in the fall of 1970 and joined the Warhawks track team. Long distance running was his strength. Gover was the Alabama Junior College Cross Country State Champion and the Warhawks team Most Valuable Player during his first season with Calhoun. His sophomore season, saw Gover finish runner-up in the state cross country championship. “I loved my time at Calhoun. We had some good teams and elite track and field athletes,” said Gover.

His Calhoun Community College career completed and wanting to continue his track and field career, Gover was faced with a dilemma. He could either be a walk-on at Mississippi State University or accept a scholarship to Austin Peay University. He chose to travel north to Clarksville, Tennessee. “Austin Peay was the place I needed to be and really liked going to school there. If you were good at something on campus, folks in Clarksville took notice and knew who you were,” said Cover.

Gover’s track and field career at Austin Peay was more than just good as he set numerous school records during his two-year career with the Governors. His times of 4:19 in the indoor mile, 9:09 in the indoor two mile and 4:18 in the outdoor mile broke school records.

Gover’s former High School football teammate Glenn Carwile says there couldn’t be a greater person to be inducted into this year’s Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame than Gover.

“Charlie is a wonderful guy to this day. He was a very good athlete in high school. Charlie was quite but a tough competitor on the football field,” said Carwile.

Introduction into this year’s LCSHOF class is great honor says Gover. “I know there have been a lot of tremendous athletes and coaches inducted before me. As a former track and field competitor, I am very familiar with Evelyn Ashford’s (2003 LCSHOF inductee) accomplishments.

Lynn Holladay (2010 LCSHOF inductee) is from around the area where I now live. So, to be included in the hall of fame with those two and many others, it is a great honor,” said Gover.