D.L. Moody, the famous 19th century American evangelist, once said, ‘One day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now.?
Reciting this quote, Oxford High School teacher Steve Ruch added, ‘And as I look around this room today, I guess that’s the way it is with Smitty.?
‘He is more alive than he ever was because he lives in our hearts, in our minds, and that will last us a lifetime.?
Hundreds of former students and players spanning three decades, colleagues, friends and family members packed the Oxford Middle School gym Sunday for a memorial service honoring the late Coach Ian Smith, affectionately known as ‘Smitty? to friends.
The legendary coach of the OHS varsity girls basketball team from 1975 to 2001 passed away Monday, January 30, 2006 after a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 61 years old.
The memorial was organized by Smith’s former players Kristi McDevitt, Sue (Doyle) Fazzini, Becky Graves and Kristy Gibson-Marshall.
‘It was never about the scores or the records or the championships,? said Patti (Niemi) Anderson, who played for Smith from 1978-80. It was about ‘what we learned, the confidence we gained … how coach’s influence has followed me and many of you throughout our lives to make us the incredible human beings we are today.? Music, old photos and fond memories filled the gym with love and many of those in attendance with tears.
Blue and gold flowers filled the basketball hoops at each end of the court, the site of many of Smith’s 493 victories coaching ‘his girls.?
Quoting Wayne State University’s former assistant basketball coach Dave Fiscella, Walt Studinger, a friend for four decades and fellow OHS teacher, said, ‘It came as no surprise that he became a great coach because, as a player, he combined great analysis of our games with great insight.?
What else would you expect from a kid born and raised in Indiana, the Hoosier state, home of many great basketball players and legendary teams.
Studinger first met Smith while playing for the WSU Tartars and recalled what a tremendous player he was ? ‘Ian was an impressive shooter. In regional, state and national tournaments against former collegiate players, he was our ace in the hole. At times, his shooting percentage could rival his team’s record of 85 percent and both of those are phenomenal numbers. I recall on one occasion that Smitty shot 21 of 24 from the floor ? and there were no lay-ups.?
No wonder it was said he could ‘shoot the lights out.?
Despite his obvious prowess on the court, Studinger recalled Smith was never arrogant about it.
Quoting one of his former WSU teammates Tony Kornichuk, Studinger said, ‘Smitty was five or six years older than us, had a military background (he served in the Navy in the 1960s), had more life experiences, but he never talked down to us. He fit in with us immediately. He treated us like younger brothers. He didn’t consider himself better. He was one of us.?
Later in life, while shooting hoops for the Oxford recreational league, Studinger said Smith was the ‘leading scorer for six seasons,? helping the team win 69 games in a row representing Rob’s Bar.
It’s true Smith was a fierce competitor and loved to win, but his victories were not achieved at all costs, nor were they earned without life lessons.
‘He taught me to win with humility and to lose with grace,? said Payge (Salquist) Denver, a former player from 1998-2001, recalling what Smith taught her. ‘Be confident and always do the right thing. Be respectful and always want to learn. Make sure whoever crosses your path develops respect for you.?
‘He cared about his players and how they lead their lives,? said Becky Graves, a former player from 1995-97 and Smith’s coaching protege and successor. ‘He was the first to tell you if he thought your decisions were affecting you in a negative way. He was always the first to pay compliments.?
‘He was the kind of coach that believed in do as I do, not do as I say,? Graves said. ‘I never heard him complain when there was much to complain about and he never placed blame.?
‘Smitty taught me and all of us how to command respect, not by yelling, but by caring,? said Ruch, who once coached JV and varsity boys basketball for Oxford. ‘He taught us that developing a team was more important than winning. He taught us how to put others first and not worry about our own accomplishments.?
‘Now I have two teenage boys of my own and although they never had the privilege of meeting Coach Smith, my best hope would be that they too are fortunate enough 30 years from now to say that they had a teacher that was the biggest influence on their life, outside of their parents,? said Niemi/Anderson.
In return for all the life lessons Smith gave ‘his girls,? it was his team that gave him strength when he was diagnosed in 1998 with mutliple myeloma, a blood-borne cancer that attacks bone marrow.
Before the song ‘You Raise Me Up? by Josh Groban was played, Smith’s wife of nearly 28 years, Joanne, told the audience, ‘I truly believe it was his players, whom I fondly referred to as ‘his girls,? that got him through his initial cancer treatments. And I always feel he’s talking to his players through this song . . . For Smitty, I dedicate it to his girls.?
In the classroom, where he taught American history/social studies from September 1975 to June 1999, Smith was remembered as a devoted educator.
‘His lectures in the classroom were not lectures as much as they were stories that made the past seemingly come to life,? recalled Ruch, who started out as student and JV boys basketball player for Smith and ended up being a colleague and friend. ‘He was a wonderful caring teacher and his influence is one of the reasons that I became a teacher myself.?
From showing the class a World War I uniform to bringing in veterans of Korea and Vietnam to speak, everyone agreed Smith made history real and relevant.
Studinger recalled how Smith loved to play guitar and combined it with ‘his innate ability for story-telling to provide a better context for that time period he loved so much,? the Civil War. The first song he ever taught Studinger on the guitar was ‘Richmond Was Their Tune.?
‘He was passionate about history and it showed every day,? Graves said.
It’s ironic that all those years Smith taught history, he was actually teaching his minor. At WSU, he majored in Heath and Physical Education.
Selfless and giving is how Smith will be remembered as a man and as a friend. Feeling ‘overwhelmed? as a first year teacher and new coach of the JV boys basketball team, Ruch sought out Smith for help implementing defensive and offensive strategies for his team.
‘He agreed to come out and help me run practices for a few days. A few days became a few weeks and a few weeks became the entire season. Day after day, month after month and year after year, Smitty was there for my practices and my games.?
Later as the varsity boys basketball coach, Ruch was trying to balance making it through the state playoffs with his wife’s first pregnancy.
Worried about his wife, who was having a difficult pregnancy, but still wanted to be at every game, Ruch again found a helping hand from Smith ? ‘Smitty volunteered to sit with her at some of the games and be there and have a car ready just in case she went into labor.?
‘He didn’t have to do that. Smitty didn’t have to do a lot of the things that he did. He just wanted to.?
Donations in memory of Coach Smith can be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 51 Locust Avenue, Suite 201, New Canaan, CT, 06840.