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People SearchFind an individual who either played a sport or was a member of a support group. Search by last name by clicking on the first letter of the person's last name.
Ms. Onna "O" Charles
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Home Phone: -- I am from New Iberia, I get a lot of support from my friends and family. Spotlight Feature on Former Athlete, November, 2015. See Archives News in November, 2015, click headlines for full story, including photos and other links. Peace, Ed Dugas Onna Charles at UL 2004-2008 Points: 1,047 FG Pct: 36.1 FT Pct: 77.6 Rebounds: 432 Steals: 76 UL Record: 73-50 Onna Charles vital part of special era for Cajun women By Bruce Brown Athletic Network Green light – two magical words to a shooter in basketball. As in, “Any time you have an open look, you have a green light to shoot the ball.†From the time she arrived on the UL campus in 2004, New Iberia product Onna Charles heard those confidence-boosting words from late coach J. Kelley Hall. Charles was on hand for some of the best seasons in Ragin’ Cajun women’s basketball history (22-9, 18-10, 25-9). More than that, she was an integral part of that success, scoring 1,047 points in four seasons to join other accomplished players occupying that plateau. “Scoring 1,000 points was definitely a big accomplishment,†Charles said. “I could have had more if I’d been allowed to play to my fullest potential. I could have climbed higher on the list.†Indeed, Charles averaged 7.3, 10.4 and 11.5 points per game her first three years and seemed destined for a big senior year. But Hall left for the University of Cincinnati and her role changed under new coach Errol Rogers. Rogers called “red light†and Charles averaged just 5.8 points as the Cajuns finished 8-22. “Coach Hall saw the extra work I put in, how I took 1,000 (extra) shots a day,†Charles said. “But Coach Rogers said it was his team now and I didn’t get much statistics. One time I played 10 minutes and had 15 points, and he took me out of the game. “But,†she added, “when he took away basketball, it made me work even harder in the classroom. I was the first in my family to get a college degree.†Charles earned a degree in sociology, with a psychology minor, and is now a licensed sales agent for AAA insurance living in Tomball, Texas, near Houston. “I’m a pretty happy people person,†Charles said. “In college, I had friends from different cultures, races and ethnic backgrounds. When I took a sociology course, I loved it. I was involved in a project where we learned how others lived, and really found it interesting. “Houston is very diverse. I have friends from many cultures, and have tasted many different foods. “I was able to work in my field out of college, at the Gulf Coast Center, but I figured I would work eventually at the corporate level. I just didn’t know it would be this soon.†Charles, who initially thought she would try for professional basketball, still hits the gym whenever possible. She also counsels girls, and coaches, with the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and is active in a group called Women of Influence. She always seems to be in motion, just as she was while maneuvering for open shots for most of her Cajun career. Charles set a career mark with 35 points against Troy in 2006 and hit six 3-pointers in a 23-point effort against the Texas Longhorns in another contest. “Against Troy, I was in a zone,†she said. “I was in a rhythm. When that happens, you stay in the zone and continue to keep producing. If you’re a shooter, you keep shooting. When they took me out, I had no idea I had 35. “It was great to hit 6-of-6 treys against Texas, competing against the best. I think I fouled out of that game. We could have beat them.†She was also nearly automatic at the free throw line, hitting 87.2 percent as a junior and 77.6 percent for her career. The secret of her success? “I shoot the ball the same way every time,†Charles said. “I don’t think at all. I’ve still got my stroke. Actually, it’s gotten better. I took two months off, got back in the gym, and started hitting free throws, and other guys were asking, ‘Where are you from?’ I make sure to tell them, ‘Louisiana.’ †Charles quickly bonded with then-senior Anna Petrakova as a UL freshman in 2004-05 and has remained close with the Russian star – once again embracing other cultures along the way. She remembers that initial campaign, and two that followed, as special times. “I remember how we came together as a team, how we pushed through to get into the NCAA Tournament – something that hadn’t been done in a long time,†she said. “We got to live that dream. “Coach Hall pushed us above and beyond. He was an awesome coach. We had film study and scouting reports. We were always ready for our opponent. Everybody pushed hard to win. We were determined to win. “He told me if I had any open looks, to shoot the ball,†added Charles, who hit 41.6 percent from the field as a freshman. “That was all I needed to know. My teammates would run plays for me.†As one of seven children of Herbert and Brenda Charles, Onna came naturally to her desire to excel. “We still compete,†Charles said. “Two older sisters live down the street. We still go to the gym and play. I don’t think that will ever go away. “Plus, I competed against guy cousins in every sport. That really made me tough. I surprised them. They said, ‘You’re, like, good.’ I still play basketball every day, when I can.†Charles flourished at New Iberia Senior High, scoring 1,595 points under coach Robert Pickney including 23.1 per game as a senior, and found time for volleyball, coached by Ron Hebert. “Volleyball was fun, and I grew to have a love for it,†she said. “But when I practiced, it was basketball. Coach Pick was always smiling, positive, telling you you can do anything. “I view he and his wife as family.†And, to this day, that remains a vital core element for Charles, who thrived in Hall’s unique basketball clan. “I’m grateful for parents who gave me a strong faith and a strong foundation at home,†she said. With that foundation, you can find your way, no matter what color light is blinking at you. – – – – – – – – – – – .966: League-leading free throw percentage of UL’s Onna Charles (28-of-29) in Sun Belt Conference women’s games. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Women’s Basketball: Charles Reaches Career Milestone in Cajuns’ 77-58 Loss at North Texas Onna Charles becomes just the 12th player in program history to score 1,000 career points DENTON, Texas � A large run by North Texas to open the second half provided for an 11-point lead as the Mean Green was able to hold off Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns 77-58 Saturday evening at the Super Pit. With the win, North Texas (7-10, 2-3 Sun Belt) snapped its three-game losing streak, while Louisiana (5-11, 1-4 Sun Belt) suffered its sixth straight road loss. It was also Louisiana’s first loss in the series to North Texas since Jan. 7, 2006 (74-47 defeat at the Super Pit). Despite the loss, senior guard Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.) became the 12th player in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point career mark. Charles scored seven on the night, increasing her career mark to 1,00x points. Next on the 1,000-point career watch list is senior forward Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas) who scored nine points against North Texas. Edwards (889) needs 111 points to become the school’s 13th 1,000-point scorer. Courtney Ratliff (Canton, Miss.) added nine points and nine rebounds. North Texas fielded six players in double figures led by Amber Jackson’s 16. Erica Howard added 15, while Brittney James chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds. Much like the conclusion of the first half, North Texas used a large, momentum-changing run to start the second stanza. The Mean Green went on a 15-6 streak to take an 11-point lead, 48-37. As North Texas held a 16-point edge, McDaniel was charged with a technical foul with 9:58 remaining in regulation which sent the Mean Green to the free throw line. Less than a minute later, Charles was fouled after a missed shot, sending her to the foul line. Charles made the first one, giving her 999 career points; however, the New Iberia native’s second attempt rimmed out. North Texas’ lead would eventually reach 21 points, 67-46 with 5:11 remaining in the game. Nearly three minutes later, Charles finally reached her 1,000-point milestone, draining a three-pointer at the 2:41 mark of the second half. Louisiana opened the game with a 10-4 run, taking its largest lead of the first half. During the Cajuns’ early stretch, Edwards accounted for five of Louisiana’s 10 points, including a three-point play. However, the Mean Green answered with an 11-4 run to take a one-point lead, 15-14. That one-point margin wouldn’t last as the Valanette Amie (Tulsa, Okla.) hit two freebies and Edwards followed with an easy lay-in, giving Louisiana an 18-15 cushion. North Texas would later take its largest lead of the game, 21-18, after a brief 6-0 run but not before Louisiana went on a 7-0 run to take a 25-21 lead at the 7:03 mark. Another 6-0 run by the Mean Green regained a two-point edge, 27-25. But, as had been the case in the early parts of the first half, the Cajuns responded with yet another rally. Louisiana’s six-point run gave the visitors a 31-27 advantage thanks to a Charles triple in the corner with 3:58 left in the first stanza. The Mean Green concluded the first half with yet another 6-0 run to take a 33-31 lead into the locker room at the break. Howard and Edwards each led respective teams with nine points in the first half. McDaniel added seven points and three rebounds for the Cajuns, while both Jackson and Sanders tallied eight points for the Mean Green. In the first half, the score was tied six different times, while the lead changed sides 12 times. Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns return to action Sunday, January 20 when they take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in a 3 p.m. Sun Belt Conference contest at Earl K. Long Gym. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 58 NORTH TEXAS 77 Halftime: NT 33, UL 31. 3-point goals–Louisiana-Lafayette 6-21 (Charles, Onna 2-4; Ratliff, Courtney 1-4; Dunlap, Whitney 1-5; McDaniel, Alicia 1-3; Barnes, Jasmine 1-1; Rodgers, Bronson 0-3; Edwards, Sonora 0-1), North Texas 0-10 (; James, Brittney 0-3; Hall, Jo 0-1; Escalera, Yari 0-4; Lee, Tricia 0-1; Buckley, Kelli 0-1). A-914 -www.RaginCajuns.com- Story posted January 12, 2008 in RaginCajuns.com Chris Yandle * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Onna Charles Courtesy: RaginCajuns.com Onna Charles High School Personal Onna Charles Position: Guard Height: 5�8� Classification: Junior Interview from 008 Magazine 1. How important was it for you to play college basketball close to home? When the opportunity of playing basketball close to home was offered to me, I took the chance and never looked back. Being able to play basketball close to home has given me many advantages. It has given me the opportunities to go home whenever I want, and to have the support of my family at all of our home games. It is a very exciting feeling to be able to play close to home. 2. You and your fellow classmates, Alicia McDaniel and Sonora Edwards, have won over 50 games in the first 2 � seasons of your career � something never accomplished in UL women�s basketball history. Did you see the team having that much success this quickly? It is always a great feeling to accomplish something so big. We have been together through thick and thin, and to accomplish something that big feels awesome. I have never had any doubt in what our team could do. It was never a question that we could something great. We had to learn and grow as a team, and I really believe we did a great job of doing that. Our success came so quickly because we put in a lot of hard work and we always focusing on bigger and better goals. 3. Why should people come see women�s basketball games on campus at Earl K. Long Gym? People should come and watch our games at Earl K. Long Gym because that is where we accomplish many of our goals. That is where all of our hard work and dedication is put in. The more support we have from our fans, the more motivated we become. Just to step out of the locker room and feel the presence of our fans gives us motivation to come out and win. We have worked extremely hard, and we want people to see all of the work we put in. We put in many hours in the gym preparing to be the best. When people come out and see our hard work it really pushes us to strive to success. 4. Who was your favorite athlete when you were growing up? My favorite athlete growing up has always been Michael Jordan. He has motivated me to be the best. He is an awesome player on and off the court. He led his team to many championships. He was a great defender and one of the best scorers to play the game. Watching him and learning from his game has taught me to never let anyone tell you that you can�t do something. When people told him he couldn�t do it he worked even harder and proved them all wrong. 5. Do you have a game day superstitions or rituals? My game day rituals are very important to me. Each game I listen to my gospel music because it calms me and humbles me. It allows me to focus more on what has to be done. After listening to my favorite gospel song, I read a scripture out of my Bible because it gives me piece of mind. Then, I get ready and put all of my focus towards the game. 6. How exciting is it to have the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament here in Lafayette? Having the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Lafayette is very exciting. It is great to know that we are hosting it. I am happy it is here because won�t have to be on the road the entire time. Everyone on the team is excited and looks forward to being there. 7. What�s your most memorable basketball moment in college? My most memorable basketball moment in college was my entire freshmen season. When I first began conditioning it felt like the hardest thing I had ever done. I hated every minute of it and wished it would all end. I knew I would to go through some things, but I didn�t realize just how hard it would be. I had to learn the system, and I was not used to a lot of the things we did. Everything felt so overwhelming at first, but I just tried to work as hard as possible, and I finally got used to it all. Things turned out to be great, and we were Sun Belt champions that year. 8. What is your favorite Sun Belt school to travel to for a game? My favorite Sun Belt school to travel to is UNO. My best friend, who I played with in high school, plays there. We never thought we would actually play against each other. Each time we play we have our family and friends watching the game and cheering for us. We always talk to each other the night before the game. I always look forward to playing UNO. Courtesy: RaginCajuns.com – – – – – – – Charles back to earth January 18, 2006 – Bruce Brown Tuesday was a long day for Onna Charles. This is also an intense week of practice for Charles and her teammates on the Ragin’ Cajun women’s basketball squad, which adds to the challenge. “It’s not easy,” Charles said. “We’ve had a long break, so we’ve been able to stay up late, sleep and get up at noon, if we want to, for a 2 o’clock practice. “In that first week you get used to your classes. We’re already in chapter one in one of my classes.” “I actually think it helps the players to get back into a routine,” assistant coach Bill Damuth said. “It helps them to be in class.” The Cajuns don’t play again until a Saturday visit to Miami to play Florida International, and coach J. Kelley Hall is using the opportunity to work his team. “We’re going hard (for) three days this week,” Hall said. “It helps that we have just one game this week,” Charles said. “If we were playing Thursday, we’d be on the road on Wednesday and would be missing classes. This way, it gives you a chance to talk to your teachers and tell them what you’re doing.” Charles is coming off the best game of her young Cajun career, an eye-catching 35-point night in last Saturday’s 81-69 win at Troy University. She hit 13-of-19 shots from the field, 6-of-9 3-pointers, all three free throws and pulled down seven rebounds. The performance came two nights after teammate Yolanda Jones lit up South Alabama for 30 points and 18 rebounds, so Jones naturally drew the attention of Troy defenders. But Cajun perimeter shooters still had to take advantage of that attention, and Charles came through. “I was a little amazed,” Charles said. “I was confident. After hitting my third ‘3’ I said I’m not missing. It feels crazy, actually, when you just can’t miss. You’re so in the zone, so focused.” Hall installed a motion offense last week and the new look set USA and Troy back on their heels. “I like to run that (motion) play,” Charles said. “I like to move around. It gives you different options, depending on how they play you. Everybody’s moving, and we all have a part to play.” Senior guard Ashley Blanche’s part in the scheme was getting the ball to the hot hand, and the result for her was a career-high 12 assists. “The team did an excellent job of getting me the ball, and I appreciate that,” Charles said. “They see that I’m open and get me the ball. It was mostly Ashley. She did a great job.” The victory at Troy was a perfect follow to the emotional win at South Alabama, and a key one in the Sun Belt race. “Coach told us before the (Troy) game that we hadn’t been shooting as well as we could,” Charles said. “But he told us he knew what we were capable of. And, our shots started falling. Troy wasn’t easy for us. They came at us hard and kept fighting.” All the more reason to get a slight edge with a new look. “We’re putting in another new offense this week,” Hall said. “You’ve got to do something different, something they don’t expect.” Hall made a point of telling his team they could add the Troy win to USA. “Winning on the road is not easy,” Charles said. “But he (Hall) told us we can do whatever we believe. We said we can actually do this, and everybody stepped up their game. Once we knew we could do it, we were kind of hard to stop.” Stopping Charles quickly became impossible. This week, the Cajuns have to remind themselves that they can also handle 8 a.m. classes, too. Originally published January 18, 2006 Women’s Basketball: Charles develops offensive variety for Cajun women January 05, 2006 – Onna Charles picked a good time to revert back to her high school days. But she also showed the visitors the ability to drive with the ball in addition to nailing rainbows from the perimeter, and that makes her a more dangerous weapon as Louisiana heads into Sun Belt Conference play. “Onna came up big,” coach J. Kelley Hall said. “She took the ball hard to the basket. She had three or four drives and really finished them strong. “That’s actually been my game,” Charles said. “I always did put the ball on the floor. In high school, I think I shot just one ‘3’ but they needed that when I got here so I worked on that. “I’ve always been comfortable putting the ball on the floor. My cousins were here at that game, and they said, ‘We knew you could do that.’ ” Like Hall, Charles is eager to see the difference varying her game will make, starting tonight when UL hosts the Denver Pioneers at 7 p.m. at Earl K. Long Gym. “As a shooter, basically they’re on me,” Charles said. “Now they don’t know whether they should play off me or come out on me. Now everybody on the team can drive with it, instead of just shooting 3’s.” Alicia McDaniel is a natural slasher to the basket, and point guard Ashley Blanche is known for her energetic slices through the lane. The Cajuns need some variety on offense. They’re hitting just 35.7 percent from the floor and 27 percent behind the 3-point arc, and are at 60.3 percent at the free throw line. Hall’s teams are always known first for defense and rebounding, but this year’s squad needs to be more productive on the offensive end. “Everybody’s contributing to the team,” said Charles, who is averaging 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. “The opponents can’t just guard one person.” Yolanda Jones leads the Cajuns with 17.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, supported by Blanche (11.5 ppg) and center Sonora Edwards (10.5, 8.8 rebounds). Charles has been working so hard on her defense that her shooting has been subpar. “I knew my defense wasn’t as strong, so I focused on that,” Charles said. “I’m not shooting as well. My 3’s haven’t been falling (18-of-70, 25.7 percent). Now I’m getting used to both offense and defense.” Focus is a key element for Charles and her Cajun teammates tonight, as the start of Sun Belt play against a Western Division rival is amplified by playing the game on ESPN-Plus (Cox Sports channel 27 locally). “You don’t want to be nervous,” Charles said. “Even though it’s on TV, you’ve still got to do what you’ve got to do. There’s really nothing to be nervous about. It’s really (more) about starting the Sun Belt Conference for me.” For friends and family in New Iberia, though, the game may be a chance to get on TV. “I’ve had some friends say, ‘Oh, you’re on TV! We’re going to bring a sign that says SportsCenter Is Next’, ” Charles said. As long as the Cajuns focus on the game, the result should be positive. As for Charles, she’s still working toward being an all-around player for UL. Originally published January 5, 2006 The fear is gone October 09, 2005 – Bruce Brown It’s hard to play basketball when you’re too scared to move. That’s what Onna Charles faced last year as a freshman guard on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun women’s basketball squad. She always had one eye toward the sideline, where coach J. Kelley Hall prowled, sometimes growled and always saw every move his players made. Hall knew his team had the pieces to forge a special season, and Charles was one of those pieces. But she needed time to feel that way. “I was so nervous, I couldn’t move,” Charles said. “I was afraid of getting yelled at.” Charles went from being a star at New Iberia Senior High to a college freshman trying to fit in to a new system. She found a rhythm at midseason, and averaged 7.3 points per game for the Cajuns, but the year took its toll. “Toward the end of the season, I was so tired,” Charles said. “I lost 15 pounds, and I think that caused my performance to go down. “In high school, you play 20 games and you’re finished. My body had not been pushed that far, and my body went further than before. I just got so tired. I still loved practicing and playing, but I didn’t realize what it would do to me. “I need to stay on the weights as much as possible. I need to eat more meat, take iron pills, eat veggies and fruit … just eat better.” The Cajuns need Charles to remain at full strength this season as they try to follow their historic 22-9 performance of a year ago with another successful campaign. They tied the school record for victories, won the Sun Belt Conference Western Division and reached the championship finals of the conference tournament, raising interest in the program to unprecedented heights. “Last year was a great experience,” Charles said. “We set many goals and achieved them. “We got a lot of respect. We realized that we’ve got talent, and we can do this. That gets your confidence up. It built to a high and they (opponents) just couldn’t stop us. “When the season started, I had people tell me, ‘We want to see you play.’ By the end of the season, they were asking, ‘What time do you play?’ This year, they’re asking, ‘Can I have a schedule?’ ” The scenario was a familiar one to Charles, who was part of a revival in girls’ basketball at NISH. “They had no attendance before I got there,” she said. “We changed things. We wanted to set records and we did. They hadn’t been to the playoffs since the 1980’s and we did. We almost won the district. “I knew how it felt to have people start coming to our games, especially when you work hard and keep winning.” Charles knows her family and friends will always be on hand, adding volume to the support at Earl K. Long Gym. “I have a big family and I tell them, ‘Y’all better come,’ ” Charles said. “When they scream my name, it makes me feel really good.” Fans will see a more confident Charles this season, a player who has learned great lessons from her inaugural campaign. “I learned you can shoot as good as you can, but you know they (opponents) will try to take that away,” Charles said, watching freshmen shooters Blair Brodhead and Whitney Dunlap drain practice baskets with machine-like precision. “You have to be strong and learn how to put the ball on the floor. You can’t just get the ball and shoot, like you could in high school. That was a big adjustment for me. “I’m always thinking about what I can do to get better. When I first got here, I was confident (that) I could put the ball on the floor. But I learned you can’t go to the middle to try to get to the post. I got taken out a lot. Now I’ve learned.” Her coach likes the progress. “Onna is stronger this year and she’s shooting better,” Hall said. “She’s still not where I’d like her to be defensively or in rebounding. “She’s getting better. Freshmen always need to go once around the block so they can understand what they have to do. She came here and thought it would be easy. But when she had back-to-back 20-point nights, teams started to break down film and attacking her defensively.” Last year’s Cajuns were built around All-Sun Belt center Anna Petrakova, who averaged 16.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. But she’s gone, along with post defender Tiffany Washington and wing Bernette Tolston. Also gone is forward Melissa Bratton, out on maternity leave. Clearly, it will be a different UL team hitting the floor this season. “Last year, teams just watched Anna and tried to stop her,” Charles said. “But we showed them we have other people on the floor. They actually have to guard other people. “This year, we’ve lost players like Anna and Tiff. Our post game is gone. The rest of us need to step up our games. We will have quickness. We’re going to push it at them. There’s no slack. We’re working even harder.” That’s a good thing, because the Cajuns won’t sneak up on foes this year. They open at SMU on Nov. 11 in the Preseason NIT and will be tested early and often. “It helps our level go up,” Charles said. “It helps us prepare for the season. It will be a good experience for us.” Onna Charles lived through an eventful, successful, demanding year. She’s back and ready for more. “I’m not a freshman anymore,” she said. Originally published October 9, 2005 Busy Charles enjoys family, life Bruce Brown If Onna Charles could add hours to her day, she probably would. There’s basketball practice, of course, as Charles hones her game for Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns. There used to be volleyball, too, but the former New Iberia Senior High star left that sport behind in favor of hoops. There’s the classroom, which in itself has been an eye-opening experience as Charles adjusts to the academic demands of college life. There’s family – a big one. There’s friends – plenty of them. There’s church and Bible study. And there’s also riding on four-wheelers whenever she gets the chance. There is more to Charles than draining 3-pointers, which she happens to do very well. “College life is all different,” Charles said. “Here, there are 200 people in a class. There were around 30 in high school. “You’ve actually got to listen in class and take notes, because what if you miss something? The professor won’t just give it to you. “When you get tested, you get tested on five chapters, not one. In English, you write a lot every day. I had a lot of adjustments to make, but I’m doing fine now.” So fine, in fact, that Charles can fill in UL newcomers on how to handle the college experience. “This year, I’m acting like I’m so old,” she said with a laugh. “But I’m still just a sophomore. “I’m feeling comfortable now. Last year I was so nervous. When you know, things get much better.” Originally published October 9, 2005
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