Burlington Central names Hampshire grad Smith new coach
One of the best Whip-Purs ever is now a Rocket.
Stephanie Smith, a 2000 Hampshire graduate and a former two-time honorary co-captain of the Daily Herald All-Area team, was named Friday as the new varsity girls basketball coach at Burlington Central High School.
Smith takes over for Wade Maisto, who was the Rockets' interim coach this past season, and for Darlene Guyett, who decided to step down from the job after taking a one-year leave of absence.
"I'm very excited to be able to coach in the area I grew up in," Smith said Friday afternoon. "Basketball has always been real competitive out here and I'm grateful for the opportunity."
Smith scored 1, 245 career points and dished out 620 assists in her Hampshire career under Hall of Fame coach Milt Awe, a three-year career in which she led the Whip-Purs to 75 wins in 91 games. The 5-foot-10 Smith then went on to a stellar four-year career at Northern Illinois University.
"We were very fortunate to have a number of quality candidates and we feel Stephanie will fit our program well," said Burlington Central athletic director Dan Cliffe, who said more than 10 people applied for the job. "She has a lot of basketball experience and her enthusiasm is something that will really help our program. She's a classy young lady who will continue to take our program in the direction we want it to go."
Known as one of the fiercest competitors to ever play the game in the Fox Valley area, Smith has been coaching on several levels since graduating from college, including with Jim Cook's Team USA AAU program. She was an assistant for one season at Illinois Institute of Technology and then spent three years as the head sophomore coach and varsity assistant at Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights. While there, her sophomore teams went 63-5 and won three straight conference championships. She was also part of the Marian coaching staff in 2006-07 when that school took third place in the Class AA state tournament. Last season, Smith was Tim Prendergast's varsity assistant at South Elgin.
Smith, 26, who said she intends to return to school to earn her master's degree and teaching certificate, said Rocket fans can expect an up-tempo team that plays with great desire.
"I want to make sure people know Central is a very competitive team and we want to turn some heads," she said. "We'll play a fast-paced, in-your-face style of game that is very fundamental and has a lot of passion and drive to it.
"When people come to see Central play they're going to leave knowing they've seen a solid team that plays with passion. I think the sky is the limit here and failure is not an option. I know we can do great things at Central and we have a great future ahead of us. I'm excited to be part of a staff that has great support from the administration and parents. I have all the people behind me I need to make this a successful program."
Under Maisto, the Rockets finished 16-13 this past season. They return all-area point guard Jordan Maisto, the area's leading 3-point shooter, as well as forward Taylor Colby and 6-foot-center Alli Settanni.
And when those games against rival Hampshire roll around, Smith knows she'll have to forget her roots for a night.
"I definitely won't be wearing purple and white," Smith laughed. "I have great respect for (Hampshire coach) Sue Ellett. She coached me my sophomore year at Hampshire and taught me my ballhandling skills. I respect her and the Hampshire program. People will want to come and watch those games. It will be exciting. But while I respect her and Hampshire, I'm wearing blue and white now."