Rob Smith, who joined the Middle School Science Department this past fall, brings an impressive resume as both a NCAA Division II player and a coach to this new role with the varsity girls soccer team.
In his first year at the helm for Ravenscroft, the team went 18-1, with an undefeated TISAC championship and only loss coming as a 1-0 loss in the NCISSA 4A State Semifinals against eventual champion Providence Day. This earned Coach Smith NCSCA Regional Coach of the Year honors, as well as his team grabbing TISAC Player of the Year, 6 TISAC All-Conference selections, 4 NCSCA All-Region selections, 2 NCSCA All-State selections, and 3 NCISSA All-State selections. He hopes to build upon this success in the coming season.
Coach Smith began his playing career at Adirondack High School in upstate New York as a three-year starter and letterman, earning All-Conference Honors and League Scoring Title as a captain his senior year. From there, he was part of the Herkimer College 1996-97 team that broke the UNC women’s program’s national collegiate win-streak record; he also won a National Championship at Herkimer and was a Region III All-Star selection in 1996. Coach Smith parlayed his junior college experience into a Division II scholarship, playing in the Northeast 10 at the College of Saint Rose in Albany. He finished out his college career with two game-winning goals as team captain.
He took up the coaching mantle after receiving his degrees in education, beginning with coaching middle school girls soccer at the Pike School in Andover, Massachusetts, racking up four undefeated seasons and placing more than 25 girls onto varsity teams at independent schools across New England. He also coached middle and high school players for one of the top clubs in the region, FC Stars of Massachusetts, earning many tournament final appearances, and helmed a team in the Bay State Games’ High School Girls Collegiate Showcase event.
Two years ago, Coach Smith joined Northern Essex Community College men’s soccer team as their assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In that role, he coached two All-New England selections and five NJCAA Academic All-Americans and helped place four athletes in Division II and III programs. He also served as an assistant coach with the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League) Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds, assisting and recruiting for the men’s professional team until his move to North Carolina.
Coach Smith holds a US Soccer D License and United Soccer Coaches National Diploma and Director of Coaching Diploma. He also holds seven other Special Topics Diplomas from United Soccer Coaches and US Youth Futsal. He also currently coaches for the Hornets Futsal Club in Chapel Hill.
