Spartanburg Dist. 7 remembers longtime track and field coach
Spartanburg High School is remembering a longtime track and field coach who died suddenly
Spartanburg High School is remembering a longtime track and field coach who died suddenly
Spartanburg High School is remembering a longtime track and field coach who died suddenly
Spartanburg High School is remembering a longtime track and field coach who died suddenly.
Spartanburg County School District 7 said Coach Glover Smiley has died.
Coaches at Spartanburg High School said Smiley started as the head coach of the boys' track and field team in 1993. The district said he was the school's first Black head coach of a varsity sport.
The district said he spent the next almost 30 years coaching boys and girls track and field.
“Everybody has a coach Smiley story,” current boys track and field head coach Kevin Coleman said.
Coleman said his relationship with Smiley began when he was in high school.
“I was a football player," Coleman said. "I had tunnel vision back then. I only played football. And he would ask me every day at lunch about coming out for track.”
Coleman says Smiley convinced him to join the track and field team his senior year. Because of that, he went on to run track in college and eventually become a track and field coach.
“He showed us so much fatherly love," Coleman said. "Everybody on our team. He showed so much that you had no choice but to go out and try to be successful in your life.”
Rice said she coached alongside Smiley for 17 years.
“Coach Smiley was like your work dad," Spartanburg HS Assistant Principal and track coach Shay Rice said. "You couldn’t just say your track dad. He was your work dad. He gave you advice about everything.”
Rice says the only word she can think of to describe Smiley is immeasurable.
“He did not believe that there was any kid that was not worthy of being on this track, " Rice said. "We had teams that had 100 athletes apiece, because nobody was turned away.”
Rice said Smiley was known for his famous saying, "Doing your best is success."
Superintendent Jeff Stevens said he worked and coached with Smiley for years, saying he truly embodied his name.
“He’s just a very unique individual. It’s really hard to put into words, or at least for me to articulate to you. But I think it’s his compassion," Stevens said. "I think it’s his love of this community, and I think it resonates throughout all of District 7.”
Smiley eventually passed the torch to Coleman, Smiley's former athlete turned fellow coach.
“I learned so much from him as a student-athlete, but I think as an adult and coaching alongside of him, I got to learn a whole other aspect of the sport and just life,” Coleman said.
Coleman said Smiley technically retired in 2018, but kept getting called back to help coach and help out as a guidance counselor throughout the district.
The coaches at Spartanburg HS said Smiley had planned to return once again for the upcoming track and field season.
“Just last Monday, he walked into the office and said, ‘Are you ready for the season?’ And the hurting part is, where’s my go-to person now?” Spartanburg girls track and field head coach Audril Jones said.
“Trying to prepare to get everything set up," Rice said. "Trying to motivate the children. Looking at the parents in the stands. It’s the generations that have been affected by his presence.”
They said Smiley's spirit will live on in the generations to come through sharing his words of wisdom and passion.
“You ran your last race and you did it as a great servant, and we will continue to run our race just for you,” Jones said.
The track coaches at Spartanburg HS hope to see the track named after Smiley.