About Inductee

When Donald Faint reflects from time to time on his younger days as a basketball star in high school and in college, the indelible image of Cotton Rogers quickly comes to mind. Thomas E. "Cotton" Rogers won 376 games and lost only 122 as the head basketball coach at Huntsvilles Butler High School from 1954-1972. His 1965-66 Rebels won it all, beating Sidney Lanier 60-57 at Foster Auditorium in Tuscaloosa behind the sterling play of seniors Randy Hollingsworth and Danny Treadwell. Faint, a junior, was the starting center on that team. Rogers was idolized by most of his players over the years, and none more so than Don Faint. "Coach Rogers was the most influential person in my athletic career, he said. "He was a great teacher of the game of basketball and the teamwork required for success. He was interested in his players success off the court as well. He taught the game and developed the individual skills and the required teamwork mentality in every player he coached. He was also interested in his players futures, and much of what he taught translated into life skills needed for career success. He worked diligently in developing college scholarship opportunities for his players." One of Faints fondest memories is what he called his coachs "Lets-give-em-something-to-work-on-at-the-half speech." It happened more than once. In fact, it happened with a fair degree of regularity. Rogers would call a timeout with a few minutes remaining before halftime. As his team huddled in front of the bench, he would grin and say, "Lets give em something to work on during halftime." "This translated to us doing something on offense that got us an easy score," explained Faint. "Or maybe wed come out in a different defensive scheme, like a full-court press for the remainder of the half, something they hadnt seen before. Wed usually get a couple of turnovers or an easy score or two before the half. Most teams would then spend halftime working on adjustments to address whatever we had done. Coach Rogers intent was that the opponents coach would spend their halftime countering whatever we had done something they wouldnt see again in the second half." Faint was accustomed to success in athletics well before he reached high school. At Davis Hills Junior High, he lettered in football, basketball and baseball and his 9th grade basketball team won the city championship. At Butler, he was a 3-time letterman in basketball, played on the 4A state championship team as a junior, and made All-City and All-State and was the team captain his senior year, averaging double figures in scoring and rebounding. He was also named to the All-Tournament in the state tournament. At Florence State from 1968-71, he scored 1,212 points to rank among the leading scorers in the history of the school. He set a school record for consecutive games as a starter (91) and led the Lions in three separate categories rebounding (199 in 1968), scoring (325 points in 1969) and field goal percentage (52 percent in 1971). His career-high game came his senior year when he poured in 34 points against Montevallo. "I dont remember too much about individual games in college," said Faint, "but one game sticks out vividly. I didnt go against a lot of taller guys, but we were playing one of the Tennessee teams and they had a 7-footer. First shot I took, he slapped it back in my face. My second shot, he slapped it to midcourt. You remember those things." In addition to his four letters in basketball, Faint also lettered one year in tennis. In 1998, he was inducted into UNA Sports Hall of Fame. Hes one of 13 former players, coaches or residents with Huntsville ties whove been bestowed that honor by UNA. Following college, Faint went on to a highly decorated 27-year career in the U.S. Army, retiring in 1998 at the grade of full Colonel. He served in important leadership roles both home and abroad, including participation in Operation Just Cause in Panama and operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. Among his many awards and decorations are the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Army Commendation Medal. Faint is also a Master Parachutist and holds Ranger and Special Forces qualifications. After his military service, he worked at Dynetics of Huntsville from 1998-2011 and is currently Division Manager of Quantum Research. He and his wife, Susan, live in Madison. They have two children, Kathleen Faint and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Charles Faint.