Charlie Arndt had a decision to make following an All-American career as a goalkeeper for the University of South Carolina‘s soccer team in the 1980s.
Soccer or finance?
He chose finance, but couldn’t stay away from the game that brought him a lauded and record-breaking career with the Gamecocks.
Based in Greenville, he has worked as Fifth Third Bank’s president for the South Carolina market for more than a decade. He has also been a volunteer assistant coach at Furman for the past 29 years working on the staff of Doug Allison, a former South Carolina teammate.
Arndt’s jersey was retired on Sept. 22 during USC’s football game against Georgia State.
“It was great to see a lot of former teammates and celebrate with coaches,” Arndt said. “It was quite an event. The university really, really made it a special weekend.”
During his South Carolina career, Arndt started 61 of 65 games from 1986 to ’88 after taking over the starting role as a sophomore. His career goals allowed per game average of 0.70 is still a USC record. As a senior, he was named national goalkeeper of the year.
“I’m fortunate that I was able to play with him because he was a great teammate,” Allison said.
“To be recognized as a goalkeeper for what he’s done by South Carolina was the right thing to do. I was so happy for him.”
Banking and soccer have more in common than one might think, Arndt said.
“The teamwork, leadership, perseverance, overcoming obstacles – all of these things were synonymous with sports,” he said. “I found throughout my career that applying those same skills and determination that served me well as a soccer player and as a teammate, I find myself using those same attributes in my everyday life as a banker. It’s almost ironic how similar and how easily attributable those characteristics are between sports and business.”
