Spanning 10 years as an Athletic Director and men’s basketball coach at Oakland City College in Indiana, Charles Trafton experienced success as a coach, father, husband, athletic director, and league administrator for the National Little College Athletic Association. Trafton won a basketball national championship in 1981 and was runner-up in 1982.

Trafton’s success has culminated in a long list of accomplishments:

• Named Who’s Who in the Midwest – 1978
• NLCAA National Championship  - Runner-up - 1979
• Outstanding Young Man of Mid-America – 1979
• All-American Coach-Tour of Taiwan and Hong Kong – 1980
• NLCAA National Championship – Runner-up - 1980
• Secretary of National Little College Athletic Association – 1980-81
• National Little Collage Athletic Association Coach of the Year – 1980-81
• All-American Coach-Tour of Yugoslavia – 1981
• National Little College Athletic Association Commissioner’s Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Advancement of the NLCAA - 1981

Following his collegiate career, Trafton spent nearly two decades teaching and coaching full time at Tecumseh High School and Booneville High School. Coach Trafton retired after 37 years of teaching and coaching in 2004.

Coach Trafton always maintained a relationship with former students and players, especially the 1981 NLCAA Champions, who still call Elaine to this day to talk about “Coach.”

Trafton is survived by his wife, Elaine Kennedy Trafton and two daughters, Shannon Green and Kelly Trafton.