Athletics Feature
To say Smith’s coaching style was
“fiery” is probably an understatement.
The intensity and passion he was known
for as a coach has evolved over the years,
and Smith admits that in his younger
days he sometimes had a difficult time
harnessing his competitive nature.
“I grew up a poor sport,” Smith said.
“What I mean by that, is that I wanted to
win. Sports meant more to me than any-
thing. We played to win. … We demand-
ed that our kids play hard and to com-
pete. I was loud, that was my problem.
But I think I yelled more in the games
that didn’t mean anything because I
see so many times that teams aren’t
ready to play. I knew I pushed the enve-
lope. … Did I realize that I was a little
wacky? Yes. It’s a sickness.”
However, as an athletic director,
Smith used his vast interpersonal skills
and passion for Siena Heights to recruit,
hire—and keep—coaches who were like-
minded. Current golf coach Al Sandifer
was Smith’s right-hand man for years as
a basketball assistant, as well as building
a championship-level softball program in
the 1990s. Former running standout Tim
Bauer was installed as the cross country
and track and field coach in the 1980s
and has become a coaching institution
in his own right. They also have become
some of his closest friends.
And more recent coaching hires
like Scott Oliver (women’s soccer) and
Sue Syljebeck (women’s basketball) have
provided a sustained excellence and con-
tinuity that are the envy of many other
small college programs.
Above: Fred addresses the crowd in 2011 during
the dedication of the new Spencer Athletic Com-
plex. His energy and research were instumental in
bringing football to Siena Heights University.
“I am proud of that,” Smith said of
his coaching staff. “It’s not just winning,
it’s the people. They really believe in this
place. You can see what they got from
being in this tremendous environment
where you can be yourself.”
Getting personal
More than four decades of being a
college coach and athletic director does
take a toll. Managing a department that
had about 250 student-athletes 35 years
ago has grown exponentially over the
years. The Saints currently field more
than 20 men’s and women’s sports, and
there are currently more than 600 stu-
dent-athletes on the Adrian campus. And
being there for all of those coaches and
student-athletes can be a daunting task.
“My kids grew up in the gym,” Smith
said of his four children, who are now
grown. “Your kids are with you all of
the time. You try to make them a part
of it. But you make the important things
important. I was close to my kids, but
there were a lot of late nights. You just
do the best you can.”
And when doctors found a mass in
his chest in the spring of 1994, Smith
had to coach himself through what he
called a life-changing event. The mass
turned out to be cancer, and 38 radiation
and six chemotherapy treatments later,
he won the battle. But he was not the
same person.
Reflections Summer ’19 | 19