Coach’s Corner/Coastal/September 2013
Chuck Smith
South Effingham High School
Guyton, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
South Effingham softball coach motivates through positive, high-energy atmosphere. Sometimes, an individual chooses a profession. Other times, a profession chooses an individual. In the case of South Effingham High School head softball coach Chuck Smith, you could say coaching chose him.
A standout athlete at Memorial Day High School in Savannah who played football, baseball, basketball, and ran track (he won state in four events in track as a senior and his teams in the other sports made the playoffs consistently), Smith turned down an opportunity to play college baseball to attend Armstrong Atlantic State University. Immediately after graduating from Memorial Day, his old basketball coach, knowing Smith was going to be around the community for the foreseeable future, asked him to help out with the Memorial Day basketball team. Smith agreed and thus began his coaching career. “It just kind of happened,” he says. “I was at Armstrong Atlantic and I was available.”Over the next four years, Smith pursued a degree in health and physical education. After graduating, he went to Ridgeland, South Carolina, where he coached and taught at Thomas Heyward Academy. He was there for two years before moving back to the Savannah area. His stops included Memorial Day, Groves, and, eventually, South Effingham High. Over the course of his career, he has coached softball and men’s and women’s basketball. Smith is beginning his fifth year at South Effingham; he has coached the softball team each of the previous four years.The Lady Mustangs have enjoyed a good run under Smith. Over the last four seasons, the Lady Mustangs have won the region championship twice and finished region runner-up the other two years. Last season, South Effingham advanced to the Elite Eight of the state playoffs, eventually finishing fifth in the state.
The Lady Mustangs have also won at least 20 games in each year of Smith’s tenure.Smith acknowledges that his teams have been successful but he gives all of the credit to the young ladies he coaches. “They are tremendous athletes. They are in the weight room working extremely hard every day. I’m more of a relaxed coach, and I want the girls to be confident and play in an atmosphere that encourages them to go out and do their best,” he says. Smith does that by being positive himself and having a short memory. Softball season is a long one and there are plenty of ups and downs throughout the year. The key, Smith believes, is forgetting about the mistakes quickly and focusing on what his girls are doing well. “When we lose a game, I may think about it a little that night. But the next day, I don’t dwell on it. I move on and focus on the next challenge. You’ve got to get over those mistakes and focus on the positives.”Over the last decade or so, softball has changed, particularly in the southern portion of the state.
For years, the metro areas had the strongest teams and the schools in the lower part of Georgia couldn’t compete. Now things are evening up. Teams and players in South Georgia are stronger, and a lot of South Georgia kids are getting the opportunity to play on some of the best teams in the country. The shift is being felt outside Georgia as well. Southern players and teams are making some noise nationally, as evidenced by Alabama winning the national title in softball in 2012. “This is a fast-paced game. Everything is so fast. Baseball can be so methodical and relaxed. That’s not the case with softball. Our players are phenomenal athletes and getting better each year. The southern part of the state is catching up with the metro area,” he says.During the course of his career, Smith has experienced success on and off the field. He has also coached men’s and women’s basketball at various times, and at Memorial Day, his team missed a state championship by one point.
Two years ago, Smith was named Teacher of the Year as well. He is quick to mention that his assistant coaches and his family are a big part of the successes he has enjoyed. “My assistants are phenomenal. I have a great group of coaches here with me. I let them coach – I want them to understand that this is their program, too,” he says.His family has also been right by his side throughout his career. Smith and his wife, Shae, have three children: daughters Cason, 13, and Madelyn, 12; and son Cooper, eight. “They are amazing. I try to spend as much time with them as I can. I gave up coaching basketball because of how much time it takes up. It interferes with Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I didn’t want to miss those special times. I coach my kids’ travel teams. I’m always with them on the weekends, usually playing ball somewhere,” he says.
Chuck Smith has pretty much been around the Savannah area all of his life. He’s been coaching and teaching for 20 years and is now in the last third of his career. He says he has no plans to leave the area. “I don’t want to coach in college. I love the game of softball and I love teaching the fundamentals. I like seeing my players grow and become not just better players but better people. I plan on staying here, watching my kids group, and keep coaching softball,” he says.
