For some people, everything comes easy. Whether it’s academics, athletics, a talent such as music or acting, or a combination of them all, there are a few people who don’t have any trouble at excelling.
Sammieya Smith, however, isn’t one of those. At first glance, you might think she’s a gifted athlete and student. She’s the lone senior on the Lady Trojans’ basketball team this year and, after three years in the program, will finally start. Smith also is a talented track athlete who holds the Coffee High record in the 400-meters (59.36 seconds) and won the region championship in the 400-meters when Coffee was in Region 1-6A.
But that doesn’t mean that it has come easy. Smith is the kind of student-athlete who has had to work, claw, and fight her way through everything – track, basketball, and academics. Nothing has come easy to her, but she has never given up. Each time an obstacle stood in her way, she faced it head long and overcame. As a result, she’s one of the best student-athletes at Coffee High.
“She does everything asked of her,” says Thomas McAboy, head coach of the Lady Trojans’ basketball team. “Sammieya always does the right thing, and people just gravitate toward her. She wants to excel, and when she’s struggling, she doesn’t hesitate to ask for help.”
Smith didn’t start playing organized basketball until her freshman year of high school.
“I wanted to try something new,” she says.
She enjoyed being a part of the team and the relationships she made with her teammates. Smith earned a varsity roster spot but didn’t get much playing time. In fact, she hasn’t played much at all for three years. This year, though, will be different.
“It feels great to finally start. I’m excited about giving our team a chance to win,” she says.
Smith’s attitude has helped her as much as her shooting ability or playmaking skills. According to Coach McAboy, she has always been a great teammate and embraced any role assigned to her – whether it involved actual playing time or not.
“She has a great attitude,” Coach McAboy says. “She works hard and loves the game. She does her best, and that’s on the court and in the classroom. This year, she’s going to provide senior leadership. I need her to be a vocal leader and be a positive influence on her teammates.”
Smith has been running track for much longer than she’s been playing basketball. She started track in the seventh grade.
“I didn’t consider myself to be very fast, but running was something I enjoyed doing,” she says. “So I decided to run track.”
Smith runs the 400-meters, 800-meters, and the 4×100 relay. She made an immediate impact as a freshman and sophomore. In her ninth-grade year, Smith was Region 1-6A runner-up in the 800-meters. A year later, she won the same region in the 400-meters.
Last year was a bit of an off year for Smith, but she’s been in the gym since last season ended. She’s focused, determined, and ready to get back to the top of the region track heap – though this time, like last year, it will be against 5A competition.
“When she trains, she almost overtrains,” says Kevious Johnson, Coffee High’s women’s track coach. “She goes as hard as she can on every single rep. You don’t see her level of competitiveness and work ethic very often.”
As Smith prepares for basketball and track, she is focused on doing her best so she can continue competing beyond high school.
“I want to make it to state this year and get a scholarship to run track in college,” she says.
That shouldn’t be a problem; college programs crave the qualities she has. Smith competes because she loves it and because she wants to win. In the process, she makes her teammates better.
“I just feel like if I’m going to be a part of a team, I have to give my best. That’s what the team deserves,” she says.
Inspirational Feature/South Georgia/January 2016
Sammieya Smith
Coffee High School
Douglas, Georgia
Tireless Work Ethic, Positive Attitude Pay Off for Coffee Senior
By Robert Preston Jr.
