Former Covington, Munford basketball coach Tim Halford inducted into BCAT Hall of Fame

A man known in these parts for serving as the head boys’ basketball coach at Covington and Munford high schools received a big honor last week.

Tim Halford, who coached at Covington from 1995 to 2004 and Munford from 2007 to 2011, has been inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee Hall of Fame.

“Not at all,” Halford said when asked if making the hall of fame was a goal of his when he started his career 30 years ago. “Coaching for me has always been about my players. Watching them develop as players, young men into adult hood, becoming successful in their careers, and as husbands and fathers has been the greatest part of coaching. Winning is fun for sure, but knowing you played a small part in their lives is extremely rewarding.”

Halford, who is a co-director of BCAT, said there are many coaches in Tennessee who could be inducted and was “humbled” by the honor.

“For the BCAT Hall of Fame committee to pick me for the Hall of Fame is the biggest individual honor I could ever imagine. There are so many deserving coaches that could have easily been picked instead of me.”

The 18^th annual BCAT All-Star Game was held last week and Halford was on hand to watch two players very special to him: Christian Halford, Tim’s son and a standout at Chester County, and JaDyn Lee, who led Munford to the state tournament two weeks ago.

Christian will play basketball next year at Freed-Hardeman University next fall, a school that holds a special place in Halford’s heard.

“I played there, my daughter played softball there, and now Christian will be playing basketball there,” Halford said. “It was very exciting to watch him play in this year’s event.”

Christian Halford played at Covington during his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Chester County for his final two years of high school. He averaged 16.4 points per game last year for Chester County, shot 51.4 percent from 3-point range and was named all-district and all-region.

Lee was one of five players nominated for the Class 3A player of the year by BCAT and played well in the all-star game.

“He didn’t win player of the year, but being a finalist is a really big honor and shows Tipton County/ MHS is holding its own state wide,” Tim Halford said. “Munford going to state shows just how strong basketball is in Munford and in the county as well.”

BCAT is comprised of high school and middle school coaches, as well as college coaches, from the state of Tennessee. There are around 1,000 members of the nonprofit organization designed to be a voice for Tennessee basketball coaches. The organization offers at least five scholarships to players each year and holds a yearly clinic in Nashville where college and pro coaches speak.

More information can be found at bcathoops.com.