Hendrix is still driven

Mike Hendrix had lofty aspirations at an early age.

“My goal growing up was like any other kid,” Hendrix said. “I wanted to play (baseball) in the major leagues. I found out real quick that there were more states in our country than just Tennessee, and those players were better than me. That’s where it ended.

“There’s life after athletics, and it’s called getting a good job. I always wanted to coach, and I jumped at the opportunity.”

A good job is what Hendrix professes to have. It has also been a stable profession for the teacher and coach of 39 years.

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world, because I get to work with good people every day,” the Hendersonville High head baseball coach said. “It’s not only the baseball coaches but the basketball coaches and football coaches and soccer coaches … guys I respect the heck out of.”

On Saturday, Hendrix will be inducted into the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association (TBCA) Hall of Fame at a noon luncheon held at the Franklin Cool Springs Marriott. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the annual TBCA clinic, which will be held from Friday through Sunday.

“I am very happy to be honored for something that I love to do,” Hendrix said. “I coach baseball for the love. I was surprised to death. I had no idea that anybody would turn in anything about me. I’m just a dumb, little baseball coach from South Nashville who came to Hendersonville.

“I am thrilled. I am humbled. I don’t know what else to say. I’m excited that something good has happened to me, in something that I have given my life to and in the sport that I love.”

The long-time TBCA member is one-third of the induction class, which includes Franklin Road Academy’s George Weicker and Brentwood High’s Nick Waggoner. Wiecker’s program has won two state titles (in 1988 and 2000) and finished as the state runner-up three times (1999, 2001 and 2015), while Waggoner reached eight state tournaments and compiled 546 wins.

There will now be 58 members of the TBCA Hall of Fame, which began with the induction of Millington’s Babe Howard in 1992.

“It’s very fulfilling,” Hendrix said of his coaching career. “Not only has education been a job for me this long, but I’ve raised my kids this way. My wife (Helenmary) has done that. My mother-in-law (Mary Clouse) was a principal for 10 years or so at Beech High School. I’ve made a lot of friends.”

It rings true

He learned of the honor in an unconventional way, after TBCA executive director Pat Swallows sent Hendrix an e-mail requesting his ring size. A prior letter that was mailed to Hendrix detailing the forthcoming induction never arrived, leaving him wondering about the unique inquiry.

Hendrix will receive his size 12 on Saturday though.

“I’ve had good kids,” Hendrix said. “I’m only as good as the nine players I put on the field. When I have pretty good players, I’m a good coach. I tell them all the time, ‘y’all need to play (well) and make me a good coach.’

“I’m a has-been.”

The so-called has-been was actually a standout in his playing days too … and a quick learner.

“I pitched when I was 12 because I was the biggest guy on the team,” Hendrix said. “I knew that, by pitching, you only got to play every four or five days.”

As a result, Hendrix transformed into a catcher, helping Overton to its first state title in his senior season of 1971. The 6-foot, 175-pounder also started at center for the Bobcat football team.

Then, he played for two seasons at both Motlow State Community College and Belmont University, primarily serving as a catcher while also playing first base at times. In helping Belmont to a 54-21 record over those two seasons, Hendrix had a .332 career batting average and a .557 slugging percentage.

During his junior season, Hendrix posted a .370 batting average (second best on the team) with seven doubles, five triples, four home runs and 25 runs batted in (RBI). Hendrix hit .299 during his senior campaign with 11 doubles, five home runs and 27 RBI, and he was selected to the All-District 24 Team that season and earned the senior award at the Belmont All-Sport Banquet

After two years as a graduate assistant at Belmont, Hendrix was hired as the girls physical education teacher and a football coach at Knox Doss Junior High, which consisted of grades 7-9 at the time. He spent seven years there and served as an assistant football coach, the head football coach for the middle-school squad, the head freshman football coach and the head middle-school boys basketball coach, though he admits to getting cut from his middle-school basketball team during tryouts in the seventh grade.

“I knew nothing about Hendersonville,” Hendrix said. “I had only been to Hendersonville one time in my whole life. That’s when Coach (Dave) Whitten (the former Belmont head baseball coach) sent me there. He sent me to Hendersonville to watch Tommy Pinson play, and I think (Pinson) ended up going to Belmont.”

He moved on to Hendersonville High School in 1984, and he never managed to get away from the area he was initially unfamiliar with.

“I had a chance to go back to Overton one time, to go baback to where I graduated to coach,” Hendrix said. “I drove two or three times (to the school). One day, I left early in the morning, and the traffic and the drive there and the drive home wasn’t worth it to me. I already had a good job.

“It’s a good job, and I’m a firm believer in stability. I’m not one of these guys that jumps around from place to place. It’s good kids and good people … that’s why I’m still here.”

A black-and-gold family

He continued to serve as an assistant football coach through the 1980s – helping the Commando program to its deepest postseason run to that point by reaching the state semifinals in 1988 – and he later served as the Ellis Middle head football coach. In fact, he still serves as a Cougar assistant coach.

After serving as the assistant baseball coach under Bob White, Hendrix took over as the school’s head baseball coach in 1991. Success soon followed.

“Mr. (Paul) Decker was the principal, and I asked him one time, ‘do you mind if we go on a trip out of state to play, on spring break or whatever,” Hendrix said. “He looked at me and said, ‘ok, it’s your job.’ I said, ‘thanks.’ It worked out. His kids (Ty, Tommy and Joey) played for me.”

The Commandos made the first of their five state-tournament appearances in 1994, also reaching the state level in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2015.

“One of the most special times for me was ‘94, the first time we ever went to the state tournament in Chattanooga,” Hendrix said. “We got to play at Engel Stadium, where Babe Ruth played.

“My high-school coach, Bill Tucker, was dying of lung cancer. He took the time out of his day one evening to call me on the phone and congratulate me. We’re talking about a guy with not a long time to live. That was very special to me. It meant a lot to me that somebody that I played for still cared.”

Another special time for Hendrix was coaching his son, Ben, from 2006-09.

“The four years he played here were four of the greatest years I’ve been at this place,” Hendrix said. “To be around my kid … he wasn’t the best baseball player to ever come through this school, but he was mine. He did a good job, and it was four great years of having my kid play. He playing here was special, and it was special being able to teach at his school.”

 

In addition to 24-year-old Ben, Hendrix also has a 27-year-old daughter, Rachel. She was actually an agriculture teacher at Hendersonville High from 2012-15, and Helenmary Hendrix was the school’s long-time art teacher until she retired in November.

“I owe a lot to my wife for putting up with me, coaching and going out of town,” Hendrix said. “Nine times out of 10, she would drag the kids and go too. It’s not an easy life being a coach’s wife. You have to sit in the stands and listen to the complaining.

“It’s a family thing, and family means a lot to me.”

Commando coaching community

Hendrix points to former assistant coaches Steve Garner (who he coached with at Knox Doss prior to Garner served as Hendrix’s assistant baseball coach) and Randy Darnell, along with current assistant coaches Andy Gilley and Clay Sanders, as among those relationships that he covets.

“Those are good people who know baseball,” Hendrix said. “I let them coach. I fit in with them, and they fit in with me.

“I love the people I work with. I couldn’t ask for a better work partner than Stacia Dean (the head of the school’s physical education department). She takes care of me. She’s a good woman to work with.”

As for Hendrix’s approach in dealing with his players, it’s a simple one.

“With kids and people, I just try to be honest with them,” Hendrix said. “That’s the way I preach. My daddy always told me to do it right the first time, and you don’t have to do it again.”

Hendrix has coached 52 college baseball signees – 20 of which have signed with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I programs – and seven players who were selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Besides the on-field success, Hendrix has gained fulfillment as the program’s facility – a baseball field located off campus at Drakes Creek Park – has received numerous upgrades. The field was converted from a softball field to a baseball field prior to the 2001 season.

 We took a lot of chances,” Hendrix said. “Our facility has come a long way. It’s not because of me. It’s because a lot of people have supported our program. I talked to Mayor Hank Thompson back before he was ever elected mayor. He said, ‘we will do something with the baseball field down there.’ We finally got it done. We made it a lot better. It’ a softball field. But it had a yard, and we played.

“The people in Hendersonville who I’ve been around are good people. They’ve helped. A lot of people have jumped on the bandwagon. Dewayne White was a big contributor to help get our park upgraded when Hank Thompson was the mayor. It doesn’t take much to make me happy.”

Hendrix will begin his 26th season as the Commando head coach in March, and Hendersonville will be the first high-school program playing on a turf infield, which was recently installed.

“I still have a drive,” Hendrix – who won his 500th game last season – said. “I love it. Do I love getting out in 30-degree weather to come to open facilities now like I used to … no … but I still enjoy being around the kids. That’s why I’m still doing it. That’s why I’m still teaching school.

“I’m going to go as long as (Hendersonville High principal) Bob Cotter and the director of schools (Del Phillips) lets me go, or as long as I’m still healthy … but my time is coming (to an end).”

Besides the love of the game and being around the kids, one other variable has significantly impacted the longevity of his coaching career.

“In the spring of 1971, we won the state championship at Overton,” Hendrix said. “It’s been the drive to win one … my career is coming down to an end soon. Every year, the chances get shorter and shorter. It’s been the drive to do that … and I do love being around these kids. I’m 62 years old, and we still go to Gulf Shores (Ala., during spring break). I’d just still rather be out there with my kids.”

Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.