Ex-Pioneer Smith named new hoops coach
|
Smith was announced on Tuesday afternoon as the new coach of the Pioneer varsity boys’ basketball program, culminating a nearly two-month screening process to find a successor for Chris Turner, who resigned at the end of the 2004-2005 season.
“I’m really excited,” said Smith, an assistant under his former Pioneer coach — Bobby Luna — for the past five seasons at Gallatin High. “I went to Gallatin to learn and prepare for a situation like this, and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to learn from.
“I knew eventually I wanted to move back home, and now turned out to be a good time to come. We’re excited about this opportunity, and we’re going to work hard to bring some excitement back into Warren County basketball.”
A three-sport athlete during his days as a Pioneer, Smith went on to college at Middle Tennessee State, and joined Luna’s Green Wave staff in 2000.
For the last three years, he’s served as not only an assistant with the varsity staff — involved in everything from team and individual camps to running AAU tournaments, developing game plans and scouting opponents — he has also been the school’s head freshman boys coach.
During his first year, the Wave went 3-10, but rebounded to post back-to-back double-digit win totals, including last year’s 16-6 mark which included the District 9-AAA tournament title.
But when it comes to attempting the same type of turnaround with the Pioneers, the new WCHS coach said his plan begins with discipline and finding his players’ strengths.
“No matter what you do, discipline has to be your cornerstone,” he said. “And we’re going to look at our kids, and see what style fits them, instead of making them fit our style of play.
“Being from here, we’ve kept up with Warren County over the years, and I see a lot of talent here. Obviously, there are things to work on, but there is talent on this team. The cupboard isn’t bare; there are enough tools to compete.”
As he begins his career as a high school head coach, Smith said his highest priorities will be to evaluate his team’s current talent, and begin building the Pioneer program all the way up from the elementary level.
“We’ll use the time the TSSAA gives us, and we’ll go to camps and see what kind of effort these guys are ready to put forth,” he said. “Our first job will be analyzing the personnel, and seeing what we’ve got to work with.
“I really want to build a complete program here, and that starts with the elementary schools. The high school might be the ‘head’ of the program, but the elementary schools are the ‘body.’ So teaching fundamentals, and helping set agendas for them, will be a big priority for us.”
The Pioneers are scheduled to attend two camps at Tennessee Tech this June, with the possibility of others to be scheduled.