(Left to Right)PrincetonʼsSpencer Ware,Lakota WestʼsJordan Hicks,AndersonʼsAndrewNorwell andSt. XavierʼsMatt James

J JHUDDLE .COM44 JJ Huddle ’ s Ohio High

C h i l l i c o t h e ’ s C u r t S m i t h

Chillicothe’s Curt Smith ownsthe Division II state shot putrecord (63-4.5). He’s headed

to Ohio State.

Photo by Jim Rinaldi

C h i l l i c o t h e ’ s C u r t S m i t h

J JHUDDLE .COM 45JJ Huddle ’ s Ohio High

STORY BY ER IC FRANTZ

he one-day, 244 mile round-trip busride from Chillicothe to Byesville for theDivision II track and field regional meetwas over, and now, an hour after he’darrived 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 whatyou do during your off days, it’s not what you doduring the week. We went to that regional meet (atByesville) last year and he threw 58-59, which isgood for most people but he called me up an hourafter the meet and he wanted to throw more. Hesaid he didn’t throw well. That’s work ethic. Wethrow every weekend. He watches continuoustapes. It’s those little things that make him as goodas he is.”When Smith was a freshman at Paint Valley

High School in rural Ross County, Cousins and thethen-raw thrower made a friendly pact in passingthat if Smith came to Chillicothe the coach wouldmake 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 andholds the Division II all-time state record with amark of 63-4.5 set last year. The glaring omissionfrom his resume, which also includes a scholarshipfrom 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 meetexcept one – the state meet. There, he finishedsecond.“It’s going to boil down to when we peak,”

Cousins said. “Last year we peaked maybe one ortwo weeks before the state finals, so this seasonI’ve been bringing him along a little slower. Peoplemay not think he’s throwing as far as he did last

year but it’s a process. To me he’s right where heneeds to be right now.“We’re back past that 60-barrier and I’m just try-

ing to hold him back so he can peak at the statemeet.”Despite the fact that he’s only been throwing for

eight years, Smith already owns a career litteredwith peaks – and valleys.

Getting ThereThanks to God, Smith is a thrower – in a round

about way.Attending the same church, Charleston Church

of the Brethren, as longtime Chillicothe track coachPhil Bobo – for whom the high school track isnamed after – Smith was turned onto the sport bythe coaching legend.“He said I had the right body-type for it,” chuck-

led Smith, who now stands 6-1, 280.Under Bobo’s guidance, Smith started throwing

in seventh grade. He loved the discus. The shot

was another story.“I hated shot put,” Smith said. “I’d always come

to Chillicothe to meet Phil and I’d always bring adiscus. I’d never bring a shot put because I hatedit.

“He said ‘One day you’re going to like shot putmore than you like discus,’ and I was like ‘Yeah,OK.’ I didn’t believe him but he turned out to beright.”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 dis-cus and shot put and finishing 10th and 12th,respectively. His personal records were 150-7 inthe 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 shotand 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. Theweek after winning districts, Smith lost his opportu-nity 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 nameof the game was ‘Paranoia.’ The object of thegame was to eliminate the other players by eithershooting them or bombing them (through phonecalls and emails). I guess they were playing it atcollege campuses and someone brought it downhere. It was stupid.“Nobody was supposed to be around when you

did it, but I saw a person I was supposed to getnext to a payphone so I was like ‘I’m going to getthem.’ You couldn’t see the pay phone (from whereI was) but I called it and a girl picked up. I was get-ting a guy out so I obviously knew it wasn’t him. Icalled back a few minutes later and somebodypicked up and didn’t say anything. I said ‘If you’replaying the game Paranoia I’ve snipped you andyou’re out of the game.’ Next thing I know I wasgetting called to the office.”When the dust settled, Smith was the only per-

son related to the game who got punished for itsexistence.He was suspended for 10 days for what officials

described as “making a threat to another student”and served a sentence imposed by the schoolboard of 160 hours of community service. Theprocess even involved a polygraph test.

“It’s going to boil down to when wepeak. Last year we peaked maybe oneor two weeks before the state finals,so this season I’ve been bringing himalong a little slower. People may not

think he’s throwing as far as he did lastyear but it’s a process. To me he’s right

where he needs to be right now.

Chillicothe Track CoachDana Cousins

T

J JHUDDLE .COM46 JJ Huddle ’ s Ohio High

C h i l l i c o t h e ’ s C u r t S m i t h

In addition to the regional meet, Smith missedstate as well.“We were very upset,” Smith said. “I was real

mad. A 57 ended up winning state that yearbecause Adam Meyer (from Minster) fouled out. Iwas so mad.”After serving his suspension, Smith was allowed

back at Paint Valley. He proceeded to transfer toChillicothe 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. Andit’s been the best thing for me. (If I would havestayed at Paint Valley) I don’t think I’d be who I amtoday. You know Dana teaches me about throwing

but he also teaches me about life and it’s definitelybeen the best move I’ve made. (Dana) is with meevery day. He’s more like a best friend to me. Iknow he’s my coach, but he’s one of my bestfriends. I wish I would have just come here all mylife.”In a way, Smith has.Growing up in the Unioto district before moving

to Paint Valley, Smith has always had friends inChillicothe. He used to play AAU basketball withfellow CHS senior and Air Force football recruitCaleb Knights. This past fall, Smith, who plays full-

back and defensive line for the Cavaliers, wasvoted 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’vegot people around me. I sometimes take it forgranted. I love my parents, my coaches and myteammates.”Said Cousins: “He’s my leader. He impacts the

other kids tremendously. He’s my son’s idol.”

Instant ImpactBobo isn’t the only track figure of significance to

have played a part inSmith’s ascent.There have been

numerous others.Smith’s uncle Chad

McAllister won a DivisionI state title in the discus atChillicothe in 1998. Hisfather Mel Smith, a 1977Bellbrook High Schoolgraduate, held the BHSschool record in the shotwhen he graduated.More recently, Vandalia

Butler High School andDivision I state recordholder Jimmie Pacifico“tutored” Smith during hisfreshman and sophomoreyears and still talks toSmith on the phone oncea week.Pacifico owns the far-

thest throw in state histo-ry at 71-6.25.“He’s really pushed me

and I looked up to him alot,” Smith said. “I alwayswanted to hang out withhim. His numbers (the70s) are something thatdefinitely push you.Whether or not I couldever get there I don’tknow, but it pushes me.”Pacifico provided Smith

another reminder as well.During his sophomore

season, Pacifico gaveSmith a USA Track andField shirt he hadreceived from U.S. throw-ing star Adam Nelson.Nelson, a two-time

Olympic silver medalist and world champion, gavePacifico two USA jerseys and told him to keep one.The other? Pacifico was to give it to another throw-er he thought had the potential and talent tobecome an elite thrower as well.That jersey now hangs on Smith’s bedroom wall.“I was kind of in shock (when Pacifico gave it to

me),” Smith said. “My freshman year he walkedaround like he was … we’ll like he was Jimmie andhe was. He just did whatever he wanted to do inthe ring and I thought man I want to be like thatsome day. We started to become friends at a

Cedarville University meet and we’ve been realgood buds ever since.”Family in Centerville and Bellbrook have allowed

Smith and Pacifico to hang with each other inDayton on occasion.Although he’s not as close with Chillicothe

throwing legend Garin Veris, Smith is just as drivenby him. Although he owns the state record, Smithdoesn’t own the Chillicothe High School record.That belongs to Veris (64-10.5) who is also the lastCHS 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 toStanford and spent eight seasons in the NFL withthe New England Patriots and San Francisco49ers. Veris is New England’s third all-time leaderin sacks (36.5) and played on the 1985 SuperBowl team.“He just keeps telling me to break (the record),”

Smith said. “He says it’s been up there too long.”

Happy EndingWhether or not he leaves with his name atop the

CHS record book, the Chillicothe community willremember Smith.Announcing his decision to attend Ohio State in

December, Smith held a signing day/press confer-ence in February to celebrate the announcement.Over 100 people attended the event in the CHScafeteria and the mayor came and spoke. Schoolofficials said it was the largest event of its kindthey can remember.“I’ve sent kids to college but not to an institution

like (Ohio State) so it is a proud moment as acoach,” Cousins said. “To able to say you had apart in it is amazing. Our kids and myself are look-ing forward to watching him continue his careerand 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 Stateand they came after me pretty hard. I was kind ofleaning towards them. Then Ohio State came inand told me what they were going to give me. I vis-ited 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 gotlucky,” Cousins said. “They were always aroundsubtly, but they didn’t really come on strong untilthree weeks before he was ready to make a deci-sion.”Coming on strong the next three weeks will be

key for Smith in his attempt to win that elusive out-door 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 thefence there with a key,” Smith said. “He said ‘We’regoing to be here someday watching you.’ I neverreally believed him, but freshman year I went tostate in both events and said ‘Well, I guess youwere 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 com-ing to Chillicothe to become a state champion,”Cousins said. “He said, ‘Coach…here I am.’” —OH

Smith’s ResumeFFrreesshhmmaann ((aatt PPaaiinntt VVaalllleeyy HH..SS..))

Fourth place at the Ohio Indoor State Meet in Shot Put – Div lll

District Champion in Shot Put and Discus

Went to D-III State Meet in Shot Put and Discus – placed 12th -10th

P.R. in Discus 150 feet 7 inches; in shot 50 feet- 2.5 inches

Represented 5 state area in Baltimore for Junior Olympics

Ended summer season ranked 11th in shot and 22nd in Discus Nationally

SSoopphhoommoorree ((aatt PPaaiinntt VVaalllleeyy HH..SS..))

Fourth Place at the Ohio Indoor State Meet (Div. II-III)

Set School Shot Put record with throw of 56 feet 7 inches

Set school weighted throw record with a toss of 46 feet -- inches

District Champion with discus throw of 171feet 4 inches

Second at the USATF National Championship in Lyle, Illinois in shot put

Broke and set three meet records for shot put

JJuunniioorr ((aatt CChhiilllliiccootthhee HH..SS..))

State Champion in the Shot Put at the Ohio Indoor State Meet (56-4.75)

Won every outdoor meet in the shot put during regular season, including

Jesse Owens at Ohio State

Won every meet in the discus during the regular season except two meets

Southeast Ohio Athletic League champion in the shot and discus

Set SEOAL and Ohio Division II record with a toss of 63-4.5 in the shot put

SE District Champion in Shot and Discus (Holds district records)

Chillicothe High School’s MVP for the track team

Regional Champion in Shot

Regional Runner up in discus

Division II State Runner-Up in Shot

Fourth place in discus at the State Meet

Finished season with PR’s of 63-4.5 in shot and 175-2 in the discus

COMING IN THE SPRING SPORTS STATE TOURNAMENT ISSUE... Baseball POYSoftball POY

Boys Track POYBoys Field Event POY

Girls Track POYGirls Field Event POYBoys Tennis POY*(due out in June)