Though Dave Smith hasn’t coached a basketball game since he retired in 1991, the Washington legend’s resume continues to grow.
This summer the NCHSAA is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a series of top-100 lists and the organization recently released its top-100 high school coaches of the last century, which included Smith.
“I think it’s great, I really do. I was surprised. One of my assistant coaches called me and said he had seen it on the Internet,” Smith said. “I think it’s an honor to be included in a group with so many outstanding coaches.”
Smith started his coaching career at P.S. Jones in 1957 and coached there until he joined the Pam Pack in 1971. At P.S. Jones, Smith coached football, basketball and tennis.
While he is known for constructing powerhouse hoops teams, Smith was wildly successful in the other sports and oversaw two national doubles titles in tennis.
Smith’s biggest claim to fame came on the hardwood though, as he guided P.S. Jones to two state title game appearances before leading the Washington High School to unprecedented hoops success.
With future NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins highlighting a team that would feature four future Div. I starters, Smith turned the Pam Pack into a national powerhouse during the 1970s as he won back-to-back state championships in the 1978 and ’79 seasons. During that time, Washington pieced together a 56-game winning streak that was the longest in the nation.
Smith, who is already in the Washington Walk of Fame and the NCHSAA Hall of Fame, had the Washington High School gymnasium named after him last winter. Smith guided the Pam Pack to nine conference titles and an end his career with overall record of 520-233 on the hardwood.
Some coaches just have the right touch and it was evident Smith was able to bring the best out of his players in all sports.
“I always tried to get the best out of my players,” Smith said. “I stressed a lot of fundamentals and conditioning and teamwork and I got a good response from my players.”