Lurleen B. Wallace Community College head baseball coach Steve Helms has been selected to the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The 2015 Hall of Fame class will be inducted Jan. 16, in Birmingham.

 

“It’s a honor, because it’s selected by the coaches,” Helms said. “It’s nothing that I’ve done. I’ve been blessed to with wonderful assistant coaches and wonderful players who have done all the work, for me to get the glory.”

 

Helms has been the head coach at LBW for the past 23 years, and has amassed a record of 826-425, but for Helms it’s not about the wins and losses. Although, after playing for him I can assure you he hates to lose.

 

“When you are younger you tend to think more about the wins and losses, but as you grow older you realize it’s more about helping mold great men,” Helms said. “Right now in society we need good accountable men, and that is what we are going to continue to do here.”

 

With Helms, at the helm, the Saints have advanced to the NJCAA Division II World Series twice by winning the Region 22 Championship in 2004 and the Southeast Regional Championship in 2009.

 

“I don’t think I’ve won a game since I’ve been here,” Helms said. “Now I think I’ve probably lost a few with decisions, but I haven’t won a game, that credit goes to the kids.”

 

Helms is no stranger to awards. He has been named the NJCAA Division II National Tournament Coach of the Year, the Alabama Community College Coach of the Year, the Southern Division Coach of the Year, and the Southeast District Coach of the Year.

 

Helms was also very thankful for his family for supporting him all these years he has been coaching.

 

“I’m blessed with my family, because they have sacrificed a lot being a coaches family,” Helms said. “It was tough being gone a lot, my wife had to be momma and daddy a lot to out kids growing up and that goes unnoticed by most.”

 

In addition to coaching the Saints, Helms spent two summers coaching the American Legion Post 80 baseball team in 2002 and 2003. His record for the two years was 58-18, including an American Legion Junior State Championship in 2003.