(Aug. 17, 2017) Former Stephen Decatur athlete and coach Alphonso Henry, 60, is about to join the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Henry started wrestling for Decatur as a freshman in 1971 and was captain of the team during his junior and senior years. He was a finalist in the district tournament and a regional qualifier for three consecutive years.
He served as a volunteer, assistant coach, and head coach at Decatur for 20 years, and was an assistant coach at Wicomico High School for three years.
Henry continues to be involved in the sport, coaching at James M. Bennett High School, where has won numerous championships.
His career includes a stint as a volunteer coach with the Salisbury State Wrestling Club, as well as coaching high school and college-level wrestlers during various summer programs.
Henry will be one of seven inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Oct. 1. His picture and a biography will be placed on a plaque in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
“I will be receiving a lifetime achievement award for my time that I’ve been coaching and wrestling,” Henry said during a phone interview last Thursday.
He said far fewer matches took place when he was wrestling than there are today. During his four-year high school career, he post a 36-14 record.
Back then, only eight wrestlers matched up in the state finals.
“When I came up, it was hard,” he said. “At the regionals, I remember we had 36 teams there, and you would pull the top two for that to make it [to states]. These kids today have it easy!”
Henry said the sport started to grow during the 1990s, when many more young athletes became interested in wrestling on teams.
“My biggest achievement, really, is seeing these kids make it, working hard just to be in the sport and helping them to learn the nature of the sport,” he said. “My biggest achievement has been getting to see other kids who are fortunate enough to make it that far to the states and other levels.”
He said he was asked to apply for the national honor eight years ago, but felt he wasn’t ready.
This summer, he filled out an application for the state hall of fame, which is a precursor for the national honor. From there, his application was forwarded to Stillwater.
Henry remembers the day that letter came in the mail.
“I sat down in a room by myself, looking at the letter to see if I made it or not, and I read it about three or four times before it came to me,” he said. “I don’t know if I had a cry, scream or shout.
“It means a whole lot. It’s a big accomplishment from where I came from,” he added.
Henry started wrestling for Decatur as a freshman in 1971 and was captain of the team during his junior and senior years. He was a finalist in the district tournament and a regional qualifier for three consecutive years.
He served as a volunteer, assistant coach, and head coach at Decatur for 20 years, and was an assistant coach at Wicomico High School for three years.
Henry continues to be involved in the sport, coaching at James M. Bennett High School, where has won numerous championships.
His career includes a stint as a volunteer coach with the Salisbury State Wrestling Club, as well as coaching high school and college-level wrestlers during various summer programs.
Henry will be one of seven inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Oct. 1. His picture and a biography will be placed on a plaque in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
“I will be receiving a lifetime achievement award for my time that I’ve been coaching and wrestling,” Henry said during a phone interview last Thursday.
He said far fewer matches took place when he was wrestling than there are today. During his four-year high school career, he post a 36-14 record.
Back then, only eight wrestlers matched up in the state finals.
“When I came up, it was hard,” he said. “At the regionals, I remember we had 36 teams there, and you would pull the top two for that to make it [to states]. These kids today have it easy!”
Henry said the sport started to grow during the 1990s, when many more young athletes became interested in wrestling on teams.
“My biggest achievement, really, is seeing these kids make it, working hard just to be in the sport and helping them to learn the nature of the sport,” he said. “My biggest achievement has been getting to see other kids who are fortunate enough to make it that far to the states and other levels.”
He said he was asked to apply for the national honor eight years ago, but felt he wasn’t ready.
This summer, he filled out an application for the state hall of fame, which is a precursor for the national honor. From there, his application was forwarded to Stillwater.
Henry remembers the day that letter came in the mail.
“I sat down in a room by myself, looking at the letter to see if I made it or not, and I read it about three or four times before it came to me,” he said. “I don’t know if I had a cry, scream or shout.
“It means a whole lot. It’s a big accomplishment from where I came from,” he added.