8 minute read
THE JEFF SMITH FAMILY
All In for Wellborn Football
By Jon Holder
It is one of those extremely rare days for July in Alabama where it is humid, but overcast, cool for the time of year, and there is a threat of rain. Football season is imminent, but the weather makes it seem even closer. Walter Wellborn High School Head Football Coach Jeff Smith is about to embark on his 16th season at the helm of his alma mater. As we stand literally at the top of “The Hill”, also known as Wellborn Stadium, I asked Coach what it was about this place-the stadium, the school, the community- that makes it so special to him. The emotion in his face, his body language, and his voice tell a deeper story than any mere typed words can express. His words were simple, but powerful, “The whole thing (Wellborn) made me.” He explained in more detail, “The thing about Wellborn is togetherness. Growing up it was us against everybody else. We were and are always united. I was so proud to play here. I remember sitting in the locker room holding my helmet and I prayed about how thankful I was to get to play here.”
As we move inside, out of the mist and sprinkles, Smith’s family awaited in the office at the Coach Ed Deupree Field House. The office area is an impressive museum of Wellborn football history. Smith continued to tell the story of his journey back to the community that means so much to him, and the job he never thought he would have. Coach Smith’s life after graduating from WWHS in 1987 took him on to an outstanding career as a player at Jacksonville State, an assistant for his mentor and high school coach Mike Battles at Hueytown, his first head coaching job at Ohatchee, and then back to Class 6A Hueytown as the Head Coach. He turned the Golden Gophers program around, going from 0-10 in 2003 to 10 wins in 2007. Just after that 10-2 season which ended in a tough 44-42 loss to powerhouse Hoover in the playoffs, Smith and family returned one Sunday to Wellborn. “We came back to the church I grew up in-West Anniston Baptist Church-and I told Lisa (Smith’s wife) that if the Wellborn job ever came open, I wanted to try to get it,” said Smith.
Just two years later, in the spring of 2009, the Wellborn job indeed did come open and the principal called Smith to gauge his interest. “I had spent 9 years total at Hueytown, I had Jameis Winston (eventual Heisman Trophy winner), and all my kids really knew was Hueytown. Moving from a 6A to a 3A was also a big pay cut. But Lisa was on board because she is that supportive of a wife. Judd (oldest son) was excited, but was thrown into the fire as the varsity quarterback at Wellborn as a freshman. I never thought I would ever be the Head Coach at Wellborn. I still don’t see myself as being like a Battles, Deupree, or Ingram. I just wanted to make Wellborn better,” explained Smith.
When the Smith family returned to Wellborn, Judd was in the 9th grade, daughter Leah was in 3rd grade, and youngest child Jett was only a first grader. The Smith family quickly caught the love for all things Black and White. A little background. Jeff and Lisa are both Wellborn graduates. Both sides of the family have always been, and continue to be, fixtures in the Wellborn community. Jeff and Lisa graduated together in 1987, and though they were not high school sweethearts, they were great friends throughout their high school days. Both have a deep love for the school, community, and Panther football. The coach’s wife’s passion for Wellborn is as strong as her husband’s. Her words about Wellborn display that love. “We made the decision to come back here because it was important to be here and have our family all here together. We spent 18 years at other places, but this is home. This is so much more than a job,” Lisa said. Her description of the Wellborn people and community is powerful, “Wellborn people are tough, they pull together and support each other. The people are very defensive and protective of Wellborn, and very loyal to Wellborn.”
The entire Smith family are 100% Wellborn Panthers. All five family members are Wellborn graduates. All are connected to the school and football program. Lisa is a secretary at Wellborn, Judd is an assistant coach and teaches History,
Leah teaches English, and Jett is a student at JSU and helps coach as well. The entire family has great memories of Wellborn football. Lisa remembers, “The Oxford game my junior year was just so big, the stadium was packed and there was just so much excitement. The game at home in Jett’s junior year versus Piedmont and after the win the fans coming on the field. Jeff’s first game here as head coach was memorable too. There was just a lot of emotion-grown men crying.”
Judd has certain things that are special to him also, “My favorite memories are the 2011 playoff win at Opp. That was Wellborn’s first playoff win since 1995, and also the 2012 playoff win over Fultondale at home.” Leah has very special memories too, “My dad escorted me at Homecoming each year, and our first game back here against Saks we came on the field to the Miley Cyrus song “The Climb”. That was special.” Jett also has fond memories of that junior year win at home against Piedmont, “I just remember all the players going up in the stands and celebrating with our fans.”
The entire family is committed to Wellborn football, and it is a year-round commitment. Leah does weight charts and other charts during the school year. Judd is there at 6:30 on game days and says, “It is the most exciting time of the school year during football season because so many in the school are involved in football, band, and cheerleading. I don’t handle the off-season well. Our break as a family is at Christmas, not in the summer.” Jett adds, we are all proud of being from Wellborn.” Jett added, “Wellborn people are different. We are not the same as others. It is hard to describe.”
“There is no break for our family in the summer, and during the season it is Sunday through Saturday every week. Our one common goal as a family is to make Wellborn the best it can be.” Lisa remarks, “In 32 years as a coaches’ wife I have only missed one game and that was to go watch Jett play in college in Oklahoma. During the season I will come to the fieldhouse and bring supper and Jeff and I will walk around the stadium. On Friday nights after home games I will bring food for the coaches. Sometimes I think the average spectator doesn’t see Jeff as a father and husband. I would just say we want the best for all Wellborn students, not just the football team.” Jeff’s mother Judy is also all in for Wellborn football. She too is a Wellborn graduate and lives in the community. She brings peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the team, has been very involved in the booster club, and is there every Football Friday at 5:00 a.m. to help with the prayer breakfast.
Judd explains, “I tell all of my students I am proud to be a Wellborn Panther. Our family fights for our players and students.”
Amazingly, growing up in Wellborn Jeff Smith did not want to be a coach. “As a kid I wanted to be a policeman. It was not until about 7th grade and through high school that I wanted to be a coach. I thought every coach was like Coach Battles and Coach (Bill) Burgess. Part of me being a coach was my mother. She is a hard worker and a perfectionist. She drilled those two things into me. I came back to Wellborn because I felt I had been called to give back to this school and community, and the Wellborn community is Wellborn football.”
Each of the Smiths summed up what they loved the most about and their feelings for Wellborn. Jeff said, “It is all about tradition and family.” Leah stated, “Everyone comes to the games and
There is no question that the entire Smith family has sacrificed and given their lives and careers to the betterment of not only the Walter Wellborn High School football program, but the school and community. Sitting in that office on that cloudy, dreary Sunday afternoon left this writer with a loss for words to accurately describe the deep feelings and emotion that this family has for all things Wellborn. None of the Smith family could fathom what life would be like when I asked them to imagine a time without Wellborn football. I think Lisa Smith summed it up best with simply this quote- “This is our family and this is our life.” A family’s lives dedicated to serving the people in this small, Alabama community. Indeed, the Smiths are truly All in for Wellborn football. ►
