(Left to Right) Princeton始s Spencer Ware, Lakota West始s Jordan Hicks, Anderson始s Andrew Norwell and St. Xavier始s Matt James
Chillicothe’s Curt Smith Chillicothe’s Curt Smith owns the Division II state shot put record (63-4.5). He’s headed to Ohio State.
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Photo by Jim Rinaldi
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Chillicothe’s Curt Smith
STORY BY ERIC FRANTZ
T
he one-day, 244 mile round-trip bus ride from Chillicothe to Byesville for the Division II track and field regional meet was over, and now, an hour after he’d arrived home with the team at 6 p.m., Chillicothe track coach Dana Cousins’ phone was ringing. The vibration rippled like a shot put hitting the pit. It was Curt Smith. He wanted to throw. Earlier that day at Byesville, Smith had won the regional title with a stadium record heave of 59-7. The runner-up finished over 4-feet behind. Not good enough. “Work ethic,” Cousins said when asked what Smith’s secret is. “I explained this to him: It’s what you do during your off days, it’s not what you do during the week. We went to that regional meet (at Byesville) last year and he threw 58-59, which is good for most people but he called me up an hour after the meet and he wanted to throw more. He said he didn’t throw well. That’s work ethic. We throw every weekend. He watches continuous tapes. It’s those little things that make him as good as he is.” When Smith was a freshman at Paint Valley High School in rural Ross County, Cousins and the then-raw thrower made a friendly pact in passing that if Smith came to Chillicothe the coach would make him a state champion. The two are weeks away from attaining that goal. Now a senior at Chillicothe High, Smith is one of the state’s top throwers ever in the shot put ring. He was an indoor state champion last season and holds the Division II all-time state record with a mark of 63-4.5 set last year. The glaring omission from his resume, which also includes a scholarship from Ohio State, is an outdoor state title. Soon he’ll have the chance – and his last – at standing on top of the podium. As a junior, Smith set conference, district, regional and state records. He won every meet except one – the state meet. There, he finished second. “It’s going to boil down to when we peak,” Cousins said. “Last year we peaked maybe one or two weeks before the state finals, so this season I’ve been bringing him along a little slower. People may not think he’s throwing as far as he did last
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year but it’s a process. To me he’s right where he needs to be right now. “We’re back past that 60-barrier and I’m just trying to hold him back so he can peak at the state meet.” Despite the fact that he’s only been throwing for eight years, Smith already owns a career littered with peaks – and valleys.
Getting There
Thanks to God, Smith is a thrower – in a round about way. Attending the same church, Charleston Church of the Brethren, as longtime Chillicothe track coach Phil Bobo – for whom the high school track is named after – Smith was turned onto the sport by the coaching legend. “He said I had the right body-type for it,” chuckled Smith, who now stands 6-1, 280. Under Bobo’s guidance, Smith started throwing in seventh grade. He loved the discus. The shot
“It’s going to boil down to when we peak. Last year we peaked maybe one or two weeks before the state finals, so this season I’ve been bringing him along a little slower. People may not think he’s throwing as far as he did last year but it’s a process. To me he’s right where he needs to be right now. Chillicothe Track Coach Dana Cousins
was another story. “I hated shot put,” Smith said. “I’d always come to Chillicothe to meet Phil and I’d always bring a discus. I’d never bring a shot put because I hated it.
“He said ‘One day you’re going to like shot put more than you like discus,’ and I was like ‘Yeah, OK.’ I didn’t believe him but he turned out to be right.” That day came during Smith’s sophomore year at Paint Valley. As a freshman, Smith showed great promise, making the Division III state meet in both the discus and shot put and finishing 10th and 12th, respectively. His personal records were 150-7 in the discus and 50-2.5 in the shot. His sophomore year, Smith turned the corner. Consistently throwing in the 50s, Smith said he knew then where his future lied. He set school records in the shot (56-7) and weight (46-0), set three meet records in the shot and won a district championship in the discus (171-4). Smith was on his way to what he thought was a real shot at a state title before disaster struck. The week after winning districts, Smith lost his opportunity to compete at the regional tournament. The reason? “This is going to sound crazy to you,” Smith said. “The teacher started this game and the name of the game was ‘Paranoia.’ The object of the game was to eliminate the other players by either shooting them or bombing them (through phone calls and emails). I guess they were playing it at college campuses and someone brought it down here. It was stupid. “Nobody was supposed to be around when you did it, but I saw a person I was supposed to get next to a payphone so I was like ‘I’m going to get them.’ You couldn’t see the pay phone (from where I was) but I called it and a girl picked up. I was getting a guy out so I obviously knew it wasn’t him. I called back a few minutes later and somebody picked up and didn’t say anything. I said ‘If you’re playing the game Paranoia I’ve snipped you and you’re out of the game.’ Next thing I know I was getting called to the office.” When the dust settled, Smith was the only person related to the game who got punished for its existence. He was suspended for 10 days for what officials described as “making a threat to another student” and served a sentence imposed by the school board of 160 hours of community service. The process even involved a polygraph test.
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Chillicothe’s Curt Smith In addition to the regional meet, Smith missed state as well. “We were very upset,” Smith said. “I was real mad. A 57 ended up winning state that year because Adam Meyer (from Minster) fouled out. I was so mad.” After serving his suspension, Smith was allowed back at Paint Valley. He proceeded to transfer to Chillicothe and the family moved into the district. “I got kind of, how do I say it? Screwed-over,” Smith said. “I wanted to move and get out of there. I really felt comfortable coming to this school. And it’s been the best thing for me. (If I would have stayed at Paint Valley) I don’t think I’d be who I am today. You know Dana teaches me about throwing
back and defensive line for the Cavaliers, was voted team captain. Chillicothe made the state football playoffs and won just the second postseason game in history. “My mom and dad always push me and give me whatever I need,” Smith said. “I’m real lucky I’ve got people around me. I sometimes take it for granted. I love my parents, my coaches and my teammates.” Said Cousins: “He’s my leader. He impacts the other kids tremendously. He’s my son’s idol.”
Instant Impact
Bobo isn’t the only track figure of significance to have played a part in Smith’s ascent. There have been numerous others. Smith’s uncle Chad McAllister won a Division Freshman (at Paint Valley H.S.) I state title in the discus at Fourth place at the Ohio Indoor State Meet in Shot Put – Div lll Chillicothe in 1998. His father Mel Smith, a 1977 District Champion in Shot Put and Discus Bellbrook High School Went to D-III State Meet in Shot Put and Discus – placed 12th -10th graduate, held the BHS P.R. in Discus 150 feet 7 inches; in shot 50 feet- 2.5 inches school record in the shot Represented 5 state area in Baltimore for Junior Olympics when he graduated. Ended summer season ranked 11th in shot and 22nd in Discus Nationally More recently, Vandalia Butler High School and Division I state record Sophomore (at Paint Valley H.S.) holder Jimmie Pacifico Fourth Place at the Ohio Indoor State Meet (Div. II-III) “tutored” Smith during his Set School Shot Put record with throw of 56 feet 7 inches freshman and sophomore Set school weighted throw record with a toss of 46 feet -- inches years and still talks to Smith on the phone once District Champion with discus throw of 171feet 4 inches a week. Second at the USATF National Championship in Lyle, Illinois in shot put Pacifico owns the farBroke and set three meet records for shot put thest throw in state history at 71-6.25. Junior (at Chillicothe H.S.) “He’s really pushed me and I looked up to him a State Champion in the Shot Put at the Ohio Indoor State Meet (56-4.75) lot,” Smith said. “I always Won every outdoor meet in the shot put during regular season, including wanted to hang out with Jesse Owens at Ohio State him. His numbers (the Won every meet in the discus during the regular season except two meets 70s) are something that Southeast Ohio Athletic League champion in the shot and discus definitely push you. Whether or not I could Set SEOAL and Ohio Division II record with a toss of 63-4.5 in the shot put ever get there I don’t SE District Champion in Shot and Discus (Holds district records) know, but it pushes me.” Chillicothe High School’s MVP for the track team Pacifico provided Smith Regional Champion in Shot another reminder as well. Regional Runner up in discus During his sophomore season, Pacifico gave Division II State Runner-Up in Shot Smith a USA Track and Fourth place in discus at the State Meet Field shirt he had Finished season with PR’s of 63-4.5 in shot and 175-2 in the discus received from U.S. throwing star Adam Nelson. Nelson, a two-time Olympic silver medalist and world champion, gave but he also teaches me about life and it’s definitely Pacifico two USA jerseys and told him to keep one. been the best move I’ve made. (Dana) is with me The other? Pacifico was to give it to another throwevery day. He’s more like a best friend to me. I er he thought had the potential and talent to know he’s my coach, but he’s one of my best become an elite thrower as well. friends. I wish I would have just come here all my That jersey now hangs on Smith’s bedroom wall. life.” “I was kind of in shock (when Pacifico gave it to In a way, Smith has. me),” Smith said. “My freshman year he walked Growing up in the Unioto district before moving around like he was … we’ll like he was Jimmie and to Paint Valley, Smith has always had friends in he was. He just did whatever he wanted to do in Chillicothe. He used to play AAU basketball with the ring and I thought man I want to be like that fellow CHS senior and Air Force football recruit some day. We started to become friends at a Caleb Knights. This past fall, Smith, who plays full-
Smith’s Resume
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Cedarville University meet and we’ve been real good buds ever since.” Family in Centerville and Bellbrook have allowed Smith and Pacifico to hang with each other in Dayton on occasion. Although he’s not as close with Chillicothe throwing legend Garin Veris, Smith is just as driven by him. Although he owns the state record, Smith doesn’t own the Chillicothe High School record. That belongs to Veris (64-10.5) who is also the last CHS thrower to win a state title in the shot (1981). At a recent surprise birthday party for Bobo, Smith got the chance to talk to Veris, who went to Stanford and spent eight seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. Veris is New England’s third all-time leader in sacks (36.5) and played on the 1985 Super Bowl team. “He just keeps telling me to break (the record),” Smith said. “He says it’s been up there too long.”
Happy Ending
Whether or not he leaves with his name atop the CHS record book, the Chillicothe community will remember Smith. Announcing his decision to attend Ohio State in December, Smith held a signing day/press conference in February to celebrate the announcement. Over 100 people attended the event in the CHS cafeteria and the mayor came and spoke. School officials said it was the largest event of its kind they can remember. “I’ve sent kids to college but not to an institution like (Ohio State) so it is a proud moment as a coach,” Cousins said. “To able to say you had a part in it is amazing. Our kids and myself are looking forward to watching him continue his career and it’s great just to have been a part of this.” Said Smith: “That’s where I’ve always wanted to go. My best friend Randy Rue went to Kent State and they came after me pretty hard. I was kind of leaning towards them. Then Ohio State came in and told me what they were going to give me. I visited both places and made my choice.” Smith plans to major in construction systems management. “(Ohio State) called at the right time because there were some other schools that almost got lucky,” Cousins said. “They were always around subtly, but they didn’t really come on strong until three weeks before he was ready to make a decision.” Coming on strong the next three weeks will be key for Smith in his attempt to win that elusive outdoor state title. History, however, is on his side. One state meet prophecy involving Smith has already become reality. Now it’s time for another. “When I was in seventh grade, (Coach Bobo) took me to the state meet and made a mark on the fence there with a key,” Smith said. “He said ‘We’re going to be here someday watching you.’ I never really believed him, but freshman year I went to state in both events and said ‘Well, I guess you were right.’ ” Now Smith hopes Cousins is, too. “He reminded me a couple weeks ago about what I said to him as a freshman and about coming to Chillicothe to become a state champion,” Cousins said. “He said, ‘Coach…here I am.’” — OH
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COMING IN THE SPRING SPORTS STATE TOURNAMENT ISSUE... Baseball POY Softball POY Boys Track POY Boys Field Event POY Girls Track POY Girls Field Event POY Boys Tennis POY *(due out in June)