MADISON- Longtime area teacher and Coach Mark Mincher has been selected as one of 11 inductees for the 29^th class of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame. Induction ceremony will be held next March for the 2019 class of inductees.

“First of all, I was surprised and I think it’s a tremendous honor and very humbling,” said Mincher. “I realize this honor doesn’t come about just because of me. There are many people who have helped me to be so honored.”

The 61-year old Mincher is in his second year as assistant principal and athletic director at Madison Academy. This after spending 27 years within the Huntsville City Schools System at Huntsville High. Prior to his work with the Panthers, he spent two years at Sparkman High and two at Monrovia Middle School.

Most of his coaching career came as head baseball coach where he has a career record of 576-353. Within those victories were 18 appearances in the state playoffs and a state title in 2011.

Mincher also coached football and boys and girls basketball. He was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame earlier this year.

There are three areas of gratefulness Mincher said he feels helped put him in the Hall of Fame- “My family, assistant coaches and players,” added Mincher.

“My family, especially my wife, Nancy, has been with me since the first game I coached. She’s been my guiding light. All of the assistant coaches have been good men and extremely helpful. Of course the players. The hundreds who have bought into the programs and our coaching. At the end of the day we want those players to be good men, husbands and fathers.”

A graduate of Madison County’s Hazel Green High, Mincher spent much of his childhood the son of a Major League Baseball player as his father, Don Mincher, was a longtime stand out in pro baseball. Mincher stated his grandfather, George Mincher, was also a huge influence on his upbringing.

“My grandfather was a big influence on my dad who in turn led me in my life,” said Mincher. “They both taught me the game and to play the correct way and to be a good man. My biggest thrill was back in 2011 when we won the state championship. My dad was ill, but he made it to the game.”

Don Mincher died one year later.

Mincher and his wife of 38 years will attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremony hand-in-hand, but Mincher will be there in spirit with all of those people, past and present, who have supported him, played for and coached alongside the man they can now refer to as a Hall of Famer.