Corban Volleyball relies on "T & T" combo for staying power

Written by Tim Seiber, Corban College Assistant Director of Athletics

While the Corban College women’s volleyball team polished off its 2005 campaign against Northwest University last Saturday, Coach Tracy Smith (pictured upper right) was quietly polishing off the 550th  match of her distinguished college head-coaching career.

It is a unique milestone – no other current NAIA coach in the Northwest has more collegiate contests under his or her belt -- but not one she will share alone. Husband Tim (pictured lower right) , her constant and versatile assistant, has been every bit an integral part of this coaching odyssey that now spans 18 years, parts of three decades, and approaching 270 career victories.

The Smiths, who have been married 22 years, have served as a coaching duo for all of Tracy’s 16 seasons at the helm of the Corban program. Tracy was also head coach at Judson Baptist College in The Dalles in 1982 and ’83.

As a wife-husband combination sharing 500 collegiate matches, the pair could easily be considered the deans of a rare contingent of only eight volleyball coaching couples found among the more than 280 NAIA institutions throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

The Corban tandem rank first in total years coaching together, and only one other NAIA volleyball program (Lee University) has a head-coaching wife and assisting husband with more than 10 years coaching together. With the Smiths, one other wife-husband coaching team (Carroll College) exists in all of the five-state and Canada NAIA Region I.

Tracy ranks first among active Region I and Cascade Collegiate Conference volleyball mentors in total years and contests coached, and is third among the same group in career wins with 266.

Ironically, it was Tim’s interest in an assistant baseball coaching job that led to the Smiths’ coming to Corban in 1989.

“I guess I might be the blame for her doing this for so long,” said Tim. “I’m the one who encouraged her to look into this position at the college.”

Tracy looked and accepted what was, at the time, an under-funded and fledgling program that had just one winning season in the 1980’s, and had yet to establish itself at the NAIA level.

“When Tim and I came we just felt a real clear vision about what we wanted to do and the commitment it was going to take to do it,” said Tracy. “What has sustained me has definitely been the privilege of working with the girls.”

That vision included strengthening every facet of the program, from its budget and scholarships to its schedule, competitive level of play, and its commitment to nurturing the spiritual and character development of its athletes.

That commitment to excellence has paid off in many ways. Over the past decade of Smith-led teams, Corban has compiled a 152-132 record overall and a 77-65 mark in conference play.

Since 1997, the Warrior program has gone 85-49 in the CCC, earning eight consecutive trips to the conference tournament.

Corban’s banner year came in 1997, when the Smiths oversaw a Warrior team that racked up an impressive 31-10 record on its way to the CCC title and a National Christian College Athletic Association national championship.  Tracy was named NCCAA National Coach of the Year as a result.

“That year the conference was the strongest we’ve ever seen,” said Tim. “Five (conference) teams were ranked in the top 25 that year and we faced a brutal schedule, playing 18 ranked teams.”  The Warriors beat then NAIA powers Western Oregon twice, as well as national tournament runner-up Northwest Nazarene.

Thanks to the Smiths’ leadership, Corban has qualified for the NAIA Regional Tournament four times, competed at the NCCAA National Tournament on three occasions, and earned NAIA top-25 national ranking three times, ascending as high as 13th in ‘97. Under the Smiths’ tenure, the Warrior program has turned out four NAIA All-Americans, including 2003 NAIA Honorable Mention Liz Howe and 2004 NAIA 3rd team All-American Kim Turin, two NCCAA National Players of the Year, 10 All-American Scholar Athlete awards, and sixteen 1st team all-conference placements.

Steve Grant, 24-year head coach at George Fox University and a long-time coaching opponent of the Smiths prior to the Bruins moving to NCAA Division III, noted the competitive change the Smith era ushered in at Corban.

“They (Corban) were always taller and good jumpers, but Tracy never let them get by on their size and athletic ability. They always had good fundamentals,” said Grant.

And when the capability wasn’t being matched with results, Tracy knew how to push the right buttons.

“She’s highly competitive,” said Grant. “I’ve seen her be very fired up and seen her adjusting to what those kids were doing and what they needed to hear to get them to play at the level they were capable of playing.”

Tim sees it as one of the strengths his wife brings to the coaching field. “I think Tracy has a real gift in understanding what motivates each individual player and how to get the best out of each of them,” said Tim. “There have been many times we’ve beaten teams that have had more athletic talent. She helps teams overachieve more times than not.”

Still Corban’s volleyball program would not be where it is today without it being a family affair.  In the past, Tim’s former roles as the college’s Sports Information Director and assistant athletic director enabled him to stay involved as an assistant while managing the job and tending to the two Smith boys, J.D. (13) and Jackson (10).

“I have always thought that would be about as ideal a coaching situation a person could ask for,” said Grant. “You spend so much time with teams and travel and games, it really chews into your family time.”

Through the years, Tracy has counted on Tim for everything from directing the Warriors’ defense and scrimmaging with the team to driving vans on road trips and dealing with equipment and budget concerns. And though they are quite different in personality, Tracy values her husband’s perspective.

“We see things very differently. He tends to see things much more analytically,” said Tracy. “I might feel that a certain rotation is going okay, but he may see something and show me the stats that support another view. He’s a great balance for me. I know he’s looking out for my best. His opinions carry a great deal of weight with me.”

Tracy’s players recognize Tim’s value almost as much. “She’s tried different assistant coaches, but Tim’s a good match for her,” said junior volleyball player Stacey Casebier. “Tracy fires us up and does most of the talking, and Tim’s not as verbal, but very knowledgeable in the technical things and has some good things to say.”

Tracy remembers a classic case of Tim’s typical multi-tasking, when he would be pacing the sidelines during a match, charting statistics on a clipboard, keeping an eye on the action all the while balancing a baby on his shoulder.

During one crisis moment years ago, Tim found himself suddenly thrust into the head coaching role at a Willamette tournament because the baby needed feeding.

“I looked at Tim and said, ‘you’ll need to take the team.’ And we were getting thumped at the time,” said Tracy, who made her exit for mother duties with the Warriors losing.

To her amazement, the team rebounded and won the match under Tim’s direction. The coaching genius, said Tracy, came when Tim decided to use an age-old incentive with the young coeds.

“I asked him how he did it and Tim said, ‘Well, I called a timeout and said, ‘if you pull this out we eat at Red Robin, and if you don’t, it’s McDonald’s,’” said Tracy. “Little did I know the power of food.”

Little did the Smiths (pictured right) know how much their coaching would impact and grow their sense of family. Both the boys have grown up with the sport, traveling with the teams, serving as official ball boys at home matches, and even helping mom and dad analyze game film and consider new recruits.

“One thing that’s been very gratifying for us it that our kids have had a blast just being involved,” said Tim. “We’ve had some opportunities to make some team road trips as a whole family. The players become like big sisters to the boys.”

And the athletes often find role-models, even parent-like figures in Tracy and Tim. The Smiths fuel that team closeness by everyone – players and coaches alike - sharing personal life stories, prayer and devotions. According to Tracy, fun and variety help along the way, too.

“When I visit with prospective student athletes, I want them to know that to come here is about much more than just the volleyball program,” says Tracy. “It’s about the education they receive and the relationships they’re going to develop. The volleyball program is a part of it, but it shouldn’t hold them back from being involved in other important things.”

Significant beyond athletic performance are the facts that over the last five years Warrior volleyball players have averaged a 3.28 GPA collectively, and have had seniors in the program graduate at a rate above 90%.

Other, not so serious things like whoopy-cushion pranks find their way into the Smiths coaching style, as do surprise treats, light-hearted teasing and new names.

“Tracy puts things in our lockers – little goodies,” said Casebier. “She’s just a servant, always doing things to be thoughtful. And Tim makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever.”

“They (players) always come up with a nickname for Tim,” said Tracy. He has been “Grandpa,” and “Chief,” and other names with sillier connotations like “Timmy-Timmy-Cocoa-Pop.”

In that atmosphere, it’s inevitable that a special relationship grows between players and coaches. “I just love them. They are definitely more than coaches,” said Casebier. “It goes way beyond that. We feel we’re just part of the family.”

Like a family, Casebier knows there are times for fun, and there are those moments and understood signals among the “clan” that indicate it’s time to get serious.  For the Warriors, the sign comes in the form an old, faded workout shirt going back to Tracy’s playing days that makes rare but telling appearances.

“Tracy wears this sweatshirt. And if she wears it to practice, you know she means business,” said Casebier. “It’s kind of scary. You know the sweatshirt means we need to change something or just buckle down real hard.”

The 2005 season has been a rare one for the Warriors. In spite of the admirable work ethic and spirit Tracy has seen in her squad, the loss of three key players from a year ago and the injuries and sickness this season have taken their toll. Corban has fallen short of its characteristic level of success, finishing 6-16.

The record puts a slight damper on the year, but it also serves as a timely example of the kind of philosophy and goals that motivate the team and its coaches.

With the long season nearing its end, the team continued to find meaning in its labor.

“People are still improving,” said Casebier, on the eve of the season’s final weekend. “In practice we are seeing a lot of positive things happen, and I think it’s because we still have hope. We have two games to play and we are still getting better. Obviously, it’s not going to be our record that will stand out. But it’s going to be what matters most – the bonding, the hard work and the memories we make in the process.”

“This group is working out its commitment,” said Tracy before the Northwest match. “ They are quality through and through. We may not see it paying off this season. But the type of dedication and effort and attitude we’ve seen is going to show up ten years from now. I know it’s going to pay off. They are a tough group.”

“The wins and losses are certainly more important in the moment. But those wane after you step back and look at the big picture, said Tim. “Volleyball is just a tool to use to allow individuals and ourselves to develop character and work through the disappointments and enjoy the triumphs. That’s why we’ve stayed in it so long.”