On June 26, Picayune native Brenda Lewis was inducted into the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame.
Lewis, a Picayune Memorial High School graduate, is the daughter of Junior and Lola.
She attended Pearl River Community College and Delta State University, where she studied health and physical education.
During her youth, Lewis said she always wanted to play sports and enjoyed being outdoors. However, at the time, female sports were not accessible in schools.
During the summer, she participated in community sports and played basketball at Pearl River Community College.
In 1977, Lewis began her 34-year coaching career at Moss Point High School.
She coached a variety of sports including girls and boys basketball, track, tennis, soccer and softball.
In 1988, Lewis led the Moss Point Lady Tigers to win their first state championship. Not only was it the team’s first win, but was also the first time a female state championship game was held in the state, she said.
During the 1990s, the Lady Tigers won their first Class 5A championship.
According to her biography, under the guidance of Lewis, the Lady Tigers won seven South State titles, three state runner-up finishes, six Class 5A State Championships and the 1988 Overall Girls Grand Slam Championship. She coached in 902 games, with her teams winning 703 and losing only 199.
She was named MAC’s Softball Coach of the Year in 1988, 1989 and 1992, her biography states. In 1992, she was named Regional Coach of the Year by the National High School Association of Coaches.
Before the mid-to-late 1990s, women’s athletic collegiate scholarships were not as large as men’s, Lewis said. However, since that time, the numbers have escalated to the same financial position as other sports, Lewis said.
“After that time, any of my athletes that wanted to play softball on a collegiate level could,” Lewis said. “I not only helped my players, but anyone that wanted to play make the college contacts.”
Lewis retired in 2010, but still assists with coaching softball at Moss Point High School.
Lewis said she feels she is a woman born before her time.
“There weren’t a lot of sports available to women when I was a young person,” she said. “We worked hard for young women these days to have the choice to play.”
In February, Lewis found out she was being inducted into the Hall of Fame and she said the call knocked her to her knees.
“I was astounded, shocked and speechless,” Lewis said. “I want women athletes to know that anything is possible. If you have a passion for it, you should pursue it and work towards your goals.”