Participated in football and baseball for four years and basketball for two years. Hembrough received all-conference baseball awards in 1958 and 1959, all-conference football awards in 1956, 1957 and 1958, and honorable mention Little All-American in 1958 and 1959. Later became a long-time high school coach and played for the Jacksonville softball team that won the state tournament and was selected as an all-state softball player.