St. Bernard's Greg Boatright.

Greg Boatright owes his entire life to the game of basketball.

As a youngster, he fell madly in love with the sport during his playing days before ultimately transforming those feelings into a long and successful coaching career that continues to this day inside Cullman County.

Basketball, by his own admission, has given Boatright everything.

Well … nearly everything.

That’ll almost certainly change on April 23, when he and 11 others are officially inducted into the 17th class of the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame during an honorary banquet at the Civic Center.

“You’re humbled by it, because there’s a lot of people who deserve it as much or more than myself,” Boatright said. “It’s an honor to even be selected. I’m excited about it. I can’t thank my parents enough. There are too many former players and coaches to name off a few. I’m thankful for every single one of them.”

Boatright graduated from Fairview in 1977 but not before shining in three different sports.

He was an All-County selection in baseball (three years), basketball (two) and football (one), as well as an All-Area honoree in basketball and baseball for one season. He received a scholarship to play basketball at Wallace State for two years following high school.

All those accolades, however, fail to measure up to what Boatright called his most treasured memory.

The first time he ever touched the rim.

“I was a freshman at Welti Junior High and had always aspired to be able to dunk the ball,” Boatright said. “I worked really hard at it, too, and barely nicked it. But, hey, that counts. I also remember drilling my first shot in seventh grade. The coach kept telling me to shoot the ball, shoot the ball. I finally did, and it found the bottom of the net. He didn’t need to tell me to shoot it anymore.”

After his playing days came to an end, Boatright eventually landed a coaching gig at Warrior High School, where he spent only one year before heading to Baileyton Junior High for 16 years.

He then returned to his alma mater of Fairview and won three county titles in 14 seasons. Boatright has coached the past three seasons at Class 1A St. Bernard. He led the Saints to 21 wins and a No. 5 ranking in 2015-16.

“Coaching is the closest you can get to playing,” he said. “I love to take a group, work with them and watch them grow, develop and turn into successful players. I’ve coached so many teams. Some of my favorites were the ones who didn’t win a lot of games, because they’d work so hard and want it so bad. They always gave everything.”

During the offseason, Boatright enjoys watching hoops on TV — after all, he’s always trying to learn.

While his favorite player growing up was John Havlicek, Boatright can’t help but admire what Golden State’s Stephen Curry has done for the game recently.

“Basketball skill has come a long way,” he said. “Curry, his ability to do the things he can do … he’s got to spent countless hours working hard at it. It’s just unreal some of the stuff he’s done.”

For Boatright, his upcoming induction will serve as a reminder to him just how lucky he’s been to do what he loves to do.

Coaching basketball.

As for the banquet, he’s ready to eat some good food and mingle with the other honorees.

“It’ll be a good time,” Boatright said. “I’m looking forward to it. With Jackie Satterfield being the lead man on the microphone, I’m sure we’ll all be entertained.”

% Jake Winfrey can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 136.