By Ken Hansard
Coach Brad Smith, Independence High School’s head boys’ basketball coach, throughout all of his years of shaping young minds, whether through coaching, teaching, or parenting, has always kept in mind a famous quote from Theodore Roosevelt, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
That perspective and a willingness to serve others has helped him to sustain a passion for the game that few can match. Coach Smith has lived a life that many young coaches aspire to, but that few have the ability, the patience, the skill, or the will to obtain.
Coach Smith is in his 40th year of coaching at the high school level – 36 of those years as a head coach. And, at an age when many of his peers have long since hung up the reins, Coach Smith is still going strong.
After graduating from Southwestern College in Winfield, where he played basketball for the Moundbuilders, Coach Smith began his teaching and coaching career in 1984 as the boys’ assistant basketball coach at Maize High School. He served in that capacity for four years. In 1988 he moved over one seat to take over as the Eagles head coach, succeeding his mentor, Jerry Helm, a coaching legend in his own right. Coach Smith credits Helm for teaching him to build strong relationships with his players. Coach Smith remained in that position at Maize until 1994, when he left to teach and coach at Labette County. He led the Grizzlies’ boys’ team for 25 years until 2019, when he briefly retired before moving on to become Independence High’s head coach. He is still at the helm for the Bulldogs today.
As previously noted, coaching at the high school level requires a lot. Certainly, it demands a lot of energy and passion for teaching kids and a tremendous love for the game, but to serve as a high school head coach for as long as Coach Smith has also requires a tremendous knowledge of the game and a whole lot of success. On that note, Coach Smith has had plenty of success over the years, winning over 380 games in his career as a head coach. While at Labette County, he led the Grizzlies to the 4A State Tournament five times, which included reaching the 4A State Championship Game in 2000. He has coached close to 70 All-League selections, nearly 40 All-State selections, and he has coached five players who topped the one-thousand-point mark during their high school careers.
Coach Smith’s tenure nearly ended in 2019, when he first retired from teaching and coaching at Labette County. Incidentally, the following year Independence High’s head basketball coach Marcus Lanning decided to hang up the reigns for the Bulldogs to become their Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. Lanning, a former student teacher of Smith’s at Labette, called Coach Smith to ask him to act as his successor. Smith just couldn’t say no: “Marcus was one of the best student teachers I had in my 35 years of teaching. I was missing coaching, but still, after laying out one year everything had to be just right for me to coach again, and this was perfect.”
As if all of that isn’t enough, Coach Smith has worn many other hats over the years. He was president of the Kansas Coaches Association from 2013-2015. He was president of the KBCA (Kansas Basketball Coaches Association) in 1998. Of those experiences, Smith says, “Serving for those associations has meant a lot to me. I’ve been a member of both organizations since starting my coaching career, and I’ve made many close friends because of both.” Smith is presently the scholarship chairman for the KBCA and the Championship Ring Coordinator for the KBCA. In 1998 Smith asked Jostens to act as sponsor to award rings to the state championship basketball coaches from all seven classes. This is something Smith is proud of because, “I feel coaches really appreciate the recognition of a championship ring especially since it is given by their peers.” In addition to all that, Smith was also selected as a Hall of Fame Committee Member for KSHSAA for four years.
Coach Smith (Class of 1980) and his wife of 39 years, Kim (Class of 1983), are both graduates of Chaparral High, where Kim played on a team that won a 4A basketball state title. Kim later played basketball at Southwestern. Coach Smith gives great credit to her for his ability to stay involved with the game, “I have been blessed to have a wife that understands coaching. She has spent many hours watching me coach and has been a great mom and a great teacher for many years. Staying in one area of the state has been such a blessing. One of my highest priorities was always to teach and coach in one place, so I wouldn’t have to drag my wife and kids around and uproot their lives. All three of my children went to one school district and were Grizzlies all the way – K through12. I didn’t want to “chase talent” as a coach. There were several opportunities for me to coach elsewhere, but I wanted to stay put because of my wife and children. We still live in Altamont, and Kimberly is still teaching in USD 506 Labette County.”
Staying put and coaching for so long also allowed Coach Smith to connect with his sons as a coach, “I never started coaching to be my kids coach, but it did work out that way.” Smith’s sons Mathieu (’09 grad) and Mitchell (2011 grad) were both All-SEK and All-State nominee point guards for Labette County. Mathieu went on to play at Friends University and Mitchell for McPherson College. Daughter Addie also graduated as a Grizzly in 2018.
In the end Coach Smith feels that he has been greatly blessed and has lived a charmed life, “I had the privilege of raising all my kids as Grizzlies and to be able to coach in Independence. I have been so blessed to have worked with so many great people in three outstanding school districts.”
VYPE reached out to a couple of Coach Smith’s current players and his Athletic Director to ask them to add a few words about the coach.
Coach Smith is a great coach. He not only teaches the game but also teaches confidence and builds character. – Independence sophomore Heston Smith
Coach Smith is a coach who will do anything for his players. – Independence sophomore Javen Colbert
Coach Smith is more than just a coach, he wants all of us to become better humans with leadership skills and more. He has done a lot for me, both on the court and off the court. He helped me after practice with drills, helped me understand the plays better, and opened the gym for me when no one else could. – Independence junior Kellen Lanning.
Coach Smith is one of the most caring coaches I know. He builds great relationships with his players. He is one of the best coaches you could have, and we are pleased that he is here at IHS. He is a player’s coach who allows the athletes to be themselves, and they are able to thrive through his program. Coach Smith is someone who always wants what is best for kids. The 40 years he has given to the profession shows his love for the game and for the work he does with students and with his athletes. – Independence Assistant Principal / Athletic Director, Marcus Lanning
