Athletes From 55 Years Ago Reconnect with Legendary Pioneer Coach Joe Lee Smith
WATCH: Dr. Joe Lee Smith, a long-time educator and former track and field coach at Miami Dade Junior College was recently visited by four members of his 1968 track team, including Samuel Payne, Johnny Kemp, Charles Jackson and Richard Smith. The Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson was on hand for the visit.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Dr. Joe Lee Smith, a long-time educator and former track and field coach at Miami Dade Junior College was recently visited by four members of his 1968 track team, including Samuel Payne, Johnny Kemp, Charles Jackson and Richard Smith.
Often, we don’t think of the impact we have on others, especially young people. Smith is a highly respected individual living in Brevard County and his list of accomplishments is so lengthy it would fill up this entire article.
A long-time educator, some of Smith’s many awards that he has earned include, Brevard Community College Distinguished Service Award, the Humanitarian Award from Onyx magazine, and the United Third Bridge (U.T.B.) Puerto Rican Taino Award for his endeavors to advance the Hispanic community in Brevard County.
Most people don’t realize that Smith, a long-time educator, was also the first black head coach in any sport at a college in Florida. He was the head track coach at Miami Dade Junior College in 1968.
Smith’s one year of coaching saw his team go undefeated and win the state junior college championship. As impressive as that is, his impact was more profound off the track than it was on.
Recently, four of Smith’s former track team members came to Brevard County to see and visit with “Coach” Smith. The impact he had on the lives of these four individuals is immeasurable.
ABOVE VIDEO: The lessons taught by sports provide a philosophy of life for Dr. Joe Lee Smith, educator, advocate and mentor.
Payne, Kemp, Jackson and Smith smiled and laughed for hours during their visit, as reminiscing with Coach Smith brought back many happy memories for these former student-athletes.
Payne talked about how Smith was able to make such an impact in just one year. He said Coach Smith, who was a first-time track coach, was so successful because he was not coaching the sport as much as he was “coaching the people.”
Payne, who retired from the power company, was at one time in charge of all the transmission in the state of Florida. He said, “I took some of the concepts that Coach taught me and applied them to my daily job.”
As Kemp put it, Coach was “mild, gentle, but firm. He did not cuss you; he did not call you names,” but he would get his point across.
Jackson talked about communicating with Coach. He said Coach could go from being a coach, to a father figure, to a brother figure. It was the one-on-one connection with the athletes that made Smith special.
Smith, who was raised by a single mother, attended high school in Coconut Grove, Florida, and was coached by the ultra-successful Traz Powell. Smith said Powell acted as a father-figure to him and others. When he attended Miami Dade College, he was looking for that same father-figure and he found it in Coach Smith.
He said Coach Smith was the kind of person that he could go to and help him with any issues he may have.
“Coach was always eager to listen to my problems.” He went on to say, “not only were we successful in track, but he mentored us to be the individuals we are.”
Dr. Joe Lee Smith, or as his former student/athletes call him, Coach Smith, is a prime example of how one should carry themselves. He has lived his life the right way, always treating people with respect, encouraging others, and making things better than they were before he arrived.
We need more coaches and mentors like Dr. Joe Lee Smith. He is truly one of the “good guys!”
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