Mineral Point High School

Football Hall of Fame
Quarterback - Linebacker: 1989-1991
Coach & Offensive Coordinator: 1995-2003

Mike James won three letters in football. A prolific passer on offense, Mike was also a vicious hitter on defense where he started at Inside Linebacker all three years. Moving to quarterback as a junior and operating in the spread offense, Mike flourished in the system. By spreading the ball to four talented receivers, Mike was able to break nearly every Mineral Point passing record in the book. Mike led the Pointers to the SWAL II Conference Championship in 1991. Mike was honored by several newspapers in their all-area teams, most notably the Wisconsin State Journal that named him Co-Player of the Year for 1991. He was also honored by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association by being named to their All-State team. Mike ended his high school career by playing in the 1991 High School All-Star Shriner's Game. Defensively in his senior year, Mike led the team with 111 tackles and 3 interceptions. Mike is one of Mineral Point's all time tackling leaders, ending his career with 261 tackles.

Mike played collegiate football at UW-Oshkosh before returning to Mineral Point and beginning his coaching career. Mike was named as the Varsity Offensive Coordinator for the 1996 season. He led the Pointers to play-off appearances each of his first four seasons and to a fifth appearance in 2001 before retiring in 2003. The highlight of Mike's coaching career came in 1999, as he and head-coach Ron Murphy led the Pointers on a seven game winning streak that ended in Camp Randall as the Division 6 State Runner-up.

Mike James was the first Pointer inducted to the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.

• Three Year Letter Winner: 1989, 1990, 1991 
• Captain: 1991 
• Varsity Wins: 22 
• Career Passing Leader Mineral Point High School
• (427 completions, 769 attempts, 5,186 yards, and 49 TD's) 
• Career Tackles: 261 
• All-Conference First Team Quarterback: 1990 & 1991 
• All-Conference First Team Linebacker: 1991 
• SWAL II Most Valuable Player: 1990 & 1991
• Dubuque Telegraph Herald All-Area Quarterback: 1990 & 1991
• Wisconsin State Journal All-Area Honorable Mention: 1990
• Wisconsin State Journal Co-Player of the Year: 1991
• Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State: 1991
• Volunteer Coach Mineral Point High School 1995 
• Offensive Coordinator: 1996-2003 
• Varsity Record: 44-39 in 8 seasons
• Playoff Appearances: 5 (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, & 2001) Division 6 State Runner-up 1999

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Pointer Athletics Wall of Fame

• 1990-91 SWAL II 1st Team All-Conference QB
• SWAL II Conference Football MVP
• 1990-91 Telegraph Herald 1st Team QB
• 1990-91 Dodgeville Chronicle Football Player-Of-The-Year
• 1990 Wisconsin State Journal Football Honorable Mention
• 1991  Wisconsin State Journal Football Co-Player-Of-The-Year
• 1991 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association 1st Team All-State
• 1992 Shriner’s All-Star Football Game