Greg Carters reputation as a football coach speaks for itself. After 42 years of coaching the game, hes still going strong at Oak Park High School, collecting a 360 wins and 119 losses since starting as an assistant coach at Detroit St. Martin de Porres in 1978.

Winning eight state championship as an assistant, Carter became a head coach at de Porres in 1994 and won four state championships with the school. Moving to coach Inkster in 2005, he led the program to two state finals berths, losing in 2006 and 2008.

Since his first season with Oak Park in 2011, Carter has turned the program into an annual contender and as churned out many players that have gone onto the NCAA Division I level.

Carter has built a rsum that has allowed him to be selected to the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Announced as a member of the 14-member 2020 induction class, Carter will be formally inducted at the MHSFCA Induction & Banquet on March 7 at 5:30 p.m.

It means a lot, at any point Carter said of the honor. Whether you are retired or whether youre still active, It means that people just appreciate what youre doing and Im just happy to see it after all these years.

Looking back at the very beginning, however, Carter did not envision himself accomplishing any of his championships or milestones along the way. In fact, he thought he would coach a different sport altogether.

I never thought about being a football coach, Carter said. Baseball was the sport that I spent most of my time seeing."

Although Carter played football while at Detroit Mackenzie High School, he was also an accomplished baseball player for the school in the late 1960s and early 70s. He earned All-American status while at Mackenzie and went on to become an All-American selection in college while playing catcher at Kentucky State University. After college, he played one year in the Detroit Tigers farm system in 1976, bouncing between three minor league teams that year.

After a baseball career didnt work out, Carter got a call from Ron Thompson, his old baseball and football coach at Mackenzie. Thompson (HOF class of 1995) had moved onto de Porres and was looking to add to his coaching staff.

I actually dont know how coach Thompson knew that I was back in the city but he gave me a call and asked me to come out and work with his quarterbacks. That led to working with defensive backs and it just continued to grow Theres not a better person to learn the game from than coach Thompson.

Thompson brought Carter on staff at de Porres in 1978 and went on to win eight state championships before Thompson passed away in 1994. After Thompsons death, Carter took over the head position and has held that position throughout his time at Inkster and Oak Park.

Now, Carter cannot imagine a life without coaching football.

I love to do it, Carter said. I love being around the teenagers. Growing up, I had some mentors around me that directed me and led me to the profession Im in today Theres not a better way to give back to the community than to help these kids.

At 65 years old, Carter is not ready to give retirement much thought -- a serious thought, that is.

Oh yeah, every time we lose a game, I think about retiring, Carter said with a laugh. I think its just going to happen when it happens. I still love being around the kids. If you feel that youre making a difference, and you have the health and the ability to continue As long as youre making a difference -- and hopefully, God willing, Ill continue to be healthy -- I dont know how long Im going to coach. I dont have a timeline right now.

The ceremony on March 7 begins with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. The induction ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The deadline to purchase tickets is Feb. 29. Contact Mr. Gandalf Church at 1-269-449-6553 or gchurch@sjschools.org to purchase tickets.

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Greg Carter had baseball on his mind before Hall of Fame football coaching career - MLive.com