Anyone who has ever lived in Henderson County or spent much time here knows
that sports are taken with a serious and competitive approach. Henderson
County enjoys a wide variety of athletic talent, but few would argue that the
most exciting sporting events involve our local high schools. Even though
Henderson County is considered rural, there are still two superb high schools
that inspire competitive rivalry between themselves and everyone they play.
On the north end of the county, you have Lexington High School. LHS truly
has a rich athletic tradition and they also have a trophy case full of
District, Region, and State Championship trophies from just about every sport
you can imagine. Most area teams will admit that a meeting with the Big Red
should not be taken lightly. Between skilled players, expert coaches, and
rowdy fans, Tiger Town USA is an intimidating place for visiting teams. On
the south end of the county you have Scotts Hill High School. SHHS, being
the smaller of the two schools, makes up for what they lack in numbers with
an iron will to succeed and an extreme sense of school spirit. Just over the
past year, Scotts Hill claimed multiple District basketball championships and
a Region Title before making the first trip to the TSSAA State Basketball
Tournament in school history. Also, the Lions finished their first ever high
school football varsity season, despite not having a field or stadium.
Scotts Hill has also taken a small student pep band and turned it into a 1st
class marching band. Between these two schools, numerous local athletes have
since went on to play college and even professional sports.
Aside from receiving the usual honors at their respective high schools,
Henderson County has never had a formal system to honor the accomplishments
of our athletes who have made an impact in the world of sports and this
community. Over the past few months, a concerned group of community members
have worked together to form a non-government board to develop a Henderson
County Sports Hall of Fame. This organization has already derived a formal
set of by-laws and established eligibility guidelines for induction.
Although the Hall of Fame Board will make the final selections regarding the
inductees, nominations will come from the general public. Induction to the
Henderson County Sports Hall of Fame will be limited to just a few people
each year. Inductees will be able to accept this elite honor at an annual
induction banquet. Also, there is an obvious need to recognize the
contributions of those legendary coaches and players from days gone by,
therefore there will be some posthumous inductions. In these cases, the
inductee’s family or a close friend will accept the induction in their
memory. Each year during the nomination period, forms will be made available
to the public so anyone may suggest a candidate for that year’s induction
into the Hall of Fame.
To be eligible for consideration regarding possible induction into the
Henderson County Sports Hall of Fame, a candidate must meet at least one of
the following criteria as established by the Hall of Fame’s governing board.
(1.) The candidate must be born in Henderson County and made outstanding
athletic accomplishments inside and/or outside of Henderson County. (2.) The
candidate must have resided in Henderson County for a minimum of three years
and made outstanding athletic accomplishments inside or outside of Henderson
County. (3.) A candidate may be born outside Henderson County and be exempt
from the residency requirements if that candidate has made outstanding
accomplishments inside Henderson County. Also, all Hall of Fame inductees
must have a felony free record.
In addition to football, basketball, baseball, and other main stream sports,
Henderson County is also home to athletes that have become quite famous in
other types of sports. These sports range from rodeo to the martial arts,
and these athletes are also eligible for induction into the Henderson County
Sports Hall of Fame as long as they meet the basic set of eligibility
requirements. In fact, just about any sport you can imagine is most likely
eligible for induction. Currently the only types of sports that are not
eligible are outdoor recreation sports such as hunting, fishing, trapping,
etc. As a general rule, if a sport is primarily managed by a wildlife
authority (such as TWRA), that sport is not eligible for induction into the
Henderson County Sports Hall of Fame. However, if you have a candidate in
mind and are unsure if his or her sport meets eligibility guidelines, please
proceed with the nomination as the Hall of Fame Board will consider any sport
submitted with a nomination. More information regarding the nomination
process will be released as that time approaches.
The Hall of Fame Induction Banquet each year will be focused on the
accomplishments of the inductees. Also, two student athletes from Lexington
and Scotts Hill High School will be recognized based on athletic performance,
community service, and scholarship. It is the mission of the Sports Hall of
Fame to celebrate the athletic accomplishments of Henderson County while
promoting a spirit of healthy competition and community pride.