Art Medlin was inducted into the Johnston County Athletic Hall of Fame recently at a banquet located at Smithfield-Selma High School.

Art Medlin grew up in Fuquay-Varina, and is 1974 graduate of Fuquay-Varina High School. After graduation he participated in the North-South All-star Football Game in Greenville, before moving on to further his education at Elon College. While at Elon, he played lacrosse and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. In 1979 he received his B.S. Degree in Health and Physical Education from Elon.

Coach Medlin was hired in 1979 to teach health and physical education, and to coach the Boy Basketball and Football teams at Four Oaks Middle School. During his seven years at Four Oaks Middle School, his basketball teams won four conference championships with a combined record of 67-26. During that same time period, h is football teams won three conference championships with a combined record of 32-16.

In 1986, Dr. Paul Browning offered Coach Medlin a teaching and coaching position at South Johnston High School. During his 23 year tenure at South, Coach Medlin taught science, health, physical education, and weightlifting. His coaching duties began on the gridiron where he coached football for eight years. In three years as JV Head Coach, is teams won 1 conference championship in 1988 and had a combined record of 13-13-4. In three years as Varsity Head Coach his team notched a 10-7 conference record, including a second place conference finish and a state playoff berth in 1991.

In the same year he was hired at South Johnston, Coach Medlin took the helm of the Boys Outdoor Track and Field program. He held that position for his entire 23 years at South. During that same time period, his teams won 13 conference championships and compiled a record of 358-96-1. Those same teams won 2 Regional Championships and 1 Regional Runner-up. In 2003 Coach Medlin helped start the Indoor Track team at South and in 6 years his Indoor teams won 5 conference championships with a combined record of 32-1.

On six different occasions, his track teams finished in the top 10 in the state of North Carolina with their best finish being sixth place in 2008 for both Indoor and Outdoor Track. Coach Medlin also coached six State Championships in individual and relay events, and was honored as Conference Track and Field Coach of the Year fifteen times by his peers. In the spring of 2009 Art Medlin retired after 30 years as an educator and coach. In recognition of his career spent contributing to the lives of young people, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association honored Coach Medlin by presenting him with with the Region 3 Homer Thompson Memorial “Eight Who Make A Difference” Award.

In the fall of 2005, the high school athletic directors and principals met with Johnston County Schools administrators and recommended the need to preserve the accomplishments and memories of the men and women who established athletic history in Johnston County. A Hall of Fame committee consisting of Johnston County School personnel was encouraged to pursue the possibility of establishing the Hall of Fame. In the fall of 2006, each high school was challenged to find individuals from their communities who were deserving of Hall of Fame recognition as an athlete, coach or support person. The Johnston County Athletic Hall of Hame exhibit is located in the A.G. Glenn Building on 3^rd Street in Smithfield.