In this year's Copper Hills Basketball program, there is a nice write-up on page 11 entitled, "Meet Coach Smith". Ironically, it was written by a local sports writer by the name of Bruce Smith! (the same name as my late father-in-law.) It is a really nice article, and I wanted to include it here.
MEET COACH SMITH
BY Bruce Smith
Basketball is in his genetic makeup and will always be a part of his life.
If you're ever looking for Copper Hills coach Kent Smith, try the basketball court. Basketball is in his DNA. It started when he was growing up. In fact, was the family business. Not much has really changed, except the torch has been passed, and Smith has moved from suburban Chicago to the Salt Lake Valley.
"I was a gym rat as much as possible." he recalled. "We had a basketball court at home, but we would also go to the (local outdoor) playground because we could play full-court. We played in all kinds of weather."
Smith is the son of a basketball legend. Throughout Illinois and basketball-crazed Indiana, he attended hundreds of games, often watching his father coach high school and then junior college teams.
"For me, it was nothing to answer the phone and have (famous college coaches) Dean Smith, Lou Henson, or Rick Majerus on the line," Smith said. "They would always be calling dad for one reason or another."
Smith went on to play at Warren Township High, a huge school now with over 4500 students, where it must have been an accomplishment just to make the team.
"I was pretty good," Smith said, without going into many details.
He continued his education at a nearby college and then moved west to attend BYU. While his playing career ended, his interest in basketball certainly did not. In fact, it wasn't just with him. Smith's siblings, which includes three boys and two girls, has its share of basketball coaches.
"There are three of us boys coaching basketball," he said. "We just saw Dad's job and loved it."
Smith still feels that way at Copper Hills, where he is in his eighth year at the school and fifth as head coach. Smith said he sees the basketball potential here. The school opened in 1995 and boys basketball quickly enjoyed success, winning a region title in its third year and a state title in just its fifth season. Smith, however, is looking for consistency. Like his dad showed, that is how legendary programs are created.
"Everything is about making the state tournament," he said. "During the preseason, you learn about your team and get ready. You have to prepare for the pressure that is going to come in region and you try to put yourself in a position to make state."
Two years ago, that is exactly what happened. The Grizzlies went on a six-game winning streak near the end of the season. They dominated opponents in that span, beating quality schools by an average of 23 points per game. With school spirit also at a record high, Copper Hills reached the state semi-finals, where they lost to Davis 48-46.
"That is a game we could have won," he recalled. "I don't know how we would have done against (eventual state champion) Alta, but we had our chances to beat Davis."
That is the type of season he would like to recreate every year.
"Start slow...you don't want to peak too early," he said. "Then build it up. When the boys see what they can accomplish as a team they start to believe in themselves, and you can accomplish a lot."