June 4, 2012
LONGVIEW, Wash. -
By Rick McCorkle/Longview Daily News
Kelly Smith admits there are some aspects of his job he won't miss as baseball coach at Lower Columbia College.
Mowing the lawn.
Pushing water off the field tarp.
Cleaning the dugouts.
Making sure student-athletes attend Study Hall.
"What I will miss is being around the kids and the community," said Smith, who has retired after 18 seasons. "This is the best job in the Northwest. The fan base is awesome, the community support is awesome. We've been blessed, and I'd like to thank everyone in Longview-Kelso for making me feel at ease."
Smith, who was born and raised in Longview, graduated from Mark Morris High School in 1975. He played baseball at Western Washington University and Washington State University and was drafted by San Francisco in the 13th round of the 1980 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
After four seasons and reaching the Class AAA level, Smith left behind his playing career to become an assistant coach at Portland State University and a scout for the Oakland A's.
"I swore I'd never come back here after I graduated from college, but an opportunity came along I couldn't pass up," Smith said of his 1994 hiring at LCC. "My kids loved growing up here, and it's a wonderful place to raise a family."
Smith knew he was following in the footsteps of former LCC coaches Steve Farrington, Scott Carnahan and Ed Cheff, but did a fine job carving his own legacy.
In 18 seasons with the Red Devils, he compiled a 634-173 record which included 18 postseason tournament appearances. Smith's teams played in 12 title games and won five (1995, '96, '97, 2005, '10). The Red Devils placed third in last week's tournament.
Smith's five crowns rank him third in NWAACC history behind Yakima Valley coaches Bill Faller (11) and Chuck "Bobo" Brayton (9). Smith is also second in championship game appearances behind Faller (15) and ahead of Brayton (10).
"Getting a third place is WAY better than second and less agonizing," Smith said, tongue-in-cheek. "I can't tell you all the sleep I lost over the seconds. I still wake up in cold sweats thinking about Bellevue, Lane, Columbia Basin and Edmonds in the title games we lost. Hopefully it'll ease up when I'm not coaching anymore."
Smith's decision to step down from coaching was made at the conclusion of the 2011 season, when the Red Devils finished second behind Bellevue in the conference tournament.
"It was painful, and I decided I couldn't go through that again," he said. His daughter "Shawna's graduation from high school this year was also a driving force. Lola (his wife) and I were going to be empty-nesters, and we felt it was time to start the next chapter of our lives."
After an extensive hiring process which featured nearly four dozen applicants, Smith's nephew and former LCC assistant Donegal Fergus was selected to succeed Smith in the Devils' dugout.
Smith's retirement from coaching won't usher in long hours relaxing by the pool and sipping wine at his new home in Portland.
"I'm starting a new endeavor working for longtime friend Steve Schwartz at VieSports," he said. "It's an up-and-coming company (site.viesports.com) in fundraising and charitable donations revolving around competitions. I'll be traveling the country and working a job where I have to get out there and schmooze."
He'll also swap his baseball uniform for an occasional shirt and tie.
"I'll also have to shave occasionally and cut my nose hair," he said. "A big part of the job is talking. I tend to talk a lot. Some of it is nonsense and tongue-and-cheek, and about 10 percent is serious. I'll have to be more serious and put away the salty ol' coach."
Smith may also consider returning to coaching.
"I could be someone's assistant," he said. "If I miss it after a year or so I'd consider it, but not as a head coach again. I could coach in pro ball or as a scout, but I'll have to ask my wife if it's all right."
He also admits it'll be tough not to be called "Coach Smith" anymore.
"It's nice to be like Norm on Cheers where you can go to the grocery store and everyone knows your name and face," Smith said. "Whether it was an 85-year-old lady or a 12-year-old kid, I was Coach Smith. They thought my job was important.
"It wasn't as important as we make it out, but they made me feel that way."
