Venard Hendrix is a 2022 inductee of the Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame, after a successful sports career in the Athens-Limestone area, impacting multiple sports programs.

Hendrix, of Gadsden High School, was a basketball star for Athens College and a legendary coach in multiple sports for Athens High School.

During his time playing for Athens College, Hendrix had a season where he led the NAIA in blocked shots, with 210. He also led the team in rebounds in 1974 and 1975.

He was first team All-Southern States Conference in 1974-1975. He also spent time in the coaching ranks at UNA.

During his time coaching boys basketball at Athens High as an assistant Varsity coach and head Junior Varsity coach from 1976 to 2002, Hendrix was a part of two Final Four runs, four Elite Eight appearances and numerous Area championships.

Hendrix took over as head basketball coach for the boys team from 2002 to 2009. Hendrix set a record for wins over a seven-year period at the school, winning 134 games. They were state runners-up in 2004, had two Final Four appearances, two regional championships and four Sweet 16 appearances during his tenure.

Coaching tennis at Athens High from 1985 to 2013, Hendrix won three 5A state titles and had 18 state tournament appearances during his tenure.

Hendrix is one of 10 inductees into the 2022 class, which generally averages about 8-10 members per class, according to head of the board for the Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame, Jeff Hodges.

Hendrix and the rest of the class will be honored on June 11 during the induction banquet ceremony, as well as on June 9, during the Martha Jo Leonard Memorial Golf Tournament, taking place at Canebrake Club in Athens.

Congratulations to Hendrix and the rest of the inductees on becoming members of the Sports Hall of Fame.

Profiles still left to be written in The News Courier: Mary Fletcher, Mike Davis and Rashad Harris.