With Veterans Day approaching on November 11, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is proud to honor and celebrate the brave men and women who serve our country. This year, the AAU connected with eleven (11) veterans who are involved with the AAU today to reflect on how their experiences in AAU sports helped shape their futures. 

Today, all of these veterans hold a significant role in AAU relations as well. Many of them are coaches, chairmen or chairwomen, officials, and event organizers for AAU today.

For this edition, we honor AAU Oregon's, Chuck Wenger.

Chuck Wenger, an AAU District Governor for Oregon, has truly dedicated his life to serving others. Whether it be through military service or through coaching youth athletes, Wenger has given his all to assisting the growth of others.

Growing up in Salem, Oregon, Wenger joined the Navy Corps fresh out of high school in 1967, serving honorably in Vietnam. After his military service, he pursued his degree in science at Oregon State University. Following graduation, Wenger taught high school science while coaching wrestling, basketball, and football at the same time.

Wenger’s involvement in the AAU began in the 1980s, due to his wife starting an AAU Basketball club, the Oregon Magic. Together, they coached five age groups, mentoring over 100 kids. “That was how my AAU journey started,” Wenger recalled.

In 2006, Wenger was elected as an Oregon District Governor for the AAU for his hard work and dedication to the AAU Basketball program. He has now been a governor for over 16 years and holds district growth through his years of serving as governor as one of his proudest accomplishments.

“We’ve doubled our enrollment numbers throughout the years; getting through COVID-19 was one of our biggest challenges, but we persevered."

Wenger discussed the many similarities between his time serving in the military and his time coaching an AAU club, the main similarities being self-discipline and perseverance. When asked how his time in the military aids him in coaching kids, he talked about the importance of staying disciplined and resilient.

“One of the main characteristics I aim to teach the youth is discipline. It’s a strong characteristic to have,” Wenger said. “The military taught me how to keep pushing through tough times; I try to emphasize that to the youth.”

To watch more about Chuck Wenger's story, click here.