Coach Linder was an outstanding junior high championship football and basketball coach at Tupelo Junior High. A native of Booneville, he graduated from Corinth High in 1964, where he was a two-sport star in football and basketball. He was named Freshman Class Favorite, Wittiest, and Most Carefree by his classmates. He received his college degrees from Northeast Junior College in 1966 and from Ole Miss in 1969 and 1974. He began coaching in 1969 at Tupelo Junior High and his career has spanned 28 years. In addition to his coaching career, he has spent 40 years in the school systems in Tupelo including service as an assistant principal at 3 elementary schools for 12 years. His coaching record in the junior high ranks is one of the most outstanding in the nation as his football teams had 15 undefeated seasons including winning streaks of 40 and 44 games. His basketball teams finished with 11 undefeated records along with winning streaks of 40 and 46 games. Overall, his football squads had a mark of 190 wins, 15 losses, and 2 ties out of 207 games while his hoops teams compiled a record of 426 wins and 30 losses out of 456 games played. He entered fulltime school administration in 1997. A longtime member of the MAC from 1969 to 1996, Coach Linder received the 1982 Outstanding Young Man of America Award, the 1984 Teacher of the Year Award at Tupelo Carver, and the 1985 Outstanding Young Educator Award. He received an award for his outstanding achievement and commitment to Tupelo Public Schools in 1989-1990. October 10, 1997, was declared as “Mickey Linder Day” in Tupelo by city officials as he was honored in pre-game and halftime ceremonies. He was named Citizen of the Year for Tupelo in 2002 and on January 19, 2014, he was honored with the Martin Luther King, Jr., Drum Major Leadership Award at Tupelo Middle School.