LAUREL HILL — Ronnie Smith was a man on a mission Thursday as he put Laurel Hill School’s girls basketball team through a two-hour practice.
The season starts Monday, and there is so much to do with a team that could have three freshmen on the floor at any given time. If Smith was feeling the pressure of the moment, he wasn’t showing it.
Between 2002 and 2004, Smith led Laurel Hill's girls to three straight District 1-1A championships. During that three-year run, his teams posted a 48-24 record.
The Hoboes haven’t won a district championship since Smith stepped down to assist Kent Zessin with Laurel Hill's boys and to coach the boys junior varsity. He’s also been the LHS baseball coach.
Smith downplays the differences between coaching boys and girls.
“Coaching basketball is coaching basketball — girls, boys it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’m teaching these girls the same thing I taught those girls when we were fortunate enough to win some district championships.
“I’m also teaching these girls the same things I was teaching those boys last year when I was Coach Zessin’s JV coach. I’m not teaching anything different.”
Smith enjoys coaching the girls again.
“I’ve got a great bunch of girls,” he said. “I’ve raised all of these girls since they were kindergarten or maybe Pre-K girls.
“They are girls that are hungry to learn the game of basketball. They are girls that are hungry to win basketball games.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Championship-winning coach is back for Laurel Hill girls basketball team