Northeast
Sports
Head Tennis Coach Lynn Smither
Lynn Smither Lynn Smither begins her first year as head coach for the men and women’s tennis teams at Northeast after Jeff Melson resigned to devote more time to the classroom. Smither is no stranger to the courts clocking time as a member the Delta State Lady Statesmen tennis team in the late 1980s
and early 1990s and has been an active member of the recreational tennis scene for many years. Smither, who serves as an ABE/GED instructor for Northeast’s Adult Basic Education division, holds a bachelor’s in physical education and health science from Delta State with a minor in special education and also earned a master’s in special education from the Cleveland, Miss.-based university. Smither played singles and doubles for the Lady Statesman program and grew up playing tennis at Cleveland High School. During her time at Delta State, Smither was also a founding member of the Delta Ladies, a group of young women that served as recruiters for the Statesman football program. Smither has also had the opportunity to serve a three-year term on the Mississippi Professional Educators Board of Directors and represented Mississippi’s 15 community and junior colleges on the board. Smither is the wife of Northeast head football coach Ricky Smither and has two children, Russ and Kaitlyn.
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Bo Ricks
Bo Ricks A life-long Booneville resident has return to be Northeast’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist . Bo Ricks, who grew up in Booneville, has returned to the City of Hospitality to take over the reins of the Northeast athletic training program after Meghan Sink returned to Florida during the fall 2011 semester. Ricks, whose mother Debbie Ricks served as the department chairperson for the Northeast Mississippi Community College Associated Degree Nursing program, spent the last six months in Gainesville, Fla., before returning home. Following his graduation from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) with a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Neuromechanics, Ricks headed to the Sunshine State to serve as a personal trainer at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center during the latter part of 2011. While at the University of Mississippi, Ricks completed work on his undergraduate degree in business administration with an
emphasis in Management of Behavioral Groups in 2007 and then focused on his master’s degree while working with the University of Mississippi football team and served as an intern strength and conditioning coach for the Rebel football from July-December, 2009. During his time with the Rebel football team, Ricks helped to lead, direct and coach athletes in the weight room as well as assisted with the speed, strength and conditioning training of the Rebel skill and redshirt groups. Ricks oversaw the day-today dietary needs and nutritional needs of the athletes under his watch as well. While focusing on his master’s degree, Ricks moved into a laboratory setting as a graduate research assistant in the Applied Biomechanics/Ergonomics Laboratory (ABEL) and assisted with data collection during a study entitled, “The Effect of Extended Durations on Walking with Different Footwear on Postural Control Measures.” Before making the trek to Oxford, Ricks was busy in the City of Hospitality working at the Master Craft Builders, Inc., for a year-and-a-half where he learned how to design commercial steel buildings in AutoCAD and assessed project plans with clients and prospects. Ricks’ love for working with people dates back to his days his high school days where he served as a lifeguard at the Booneville City Park as a lifeguard for three straight years starting in 2001. Ricks is currently certified with the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Northeast Mississippi Community College
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