WOSSMAN'S CHARLES SMITH ENJOYS THE STATE TITLE CELEBRATION AT LSU!
Thirty-four years.
That's how long Wossman head track and field Coach Charles Smith has been in the Louisiana high school track and field game. It's long enough for him to know that when his athletes look good-it makes him look good.
The Wildcats looked good on their way to their first LHSAA Class 3A State Outdoor title in 19 years on Friday, May 5th at Bernie Moore Stadium.
Wossman's accomplishment earned Smith a spot on the 2023 MileSplit LA Coach of the Year ballot and the Wildcat Nation took care of the rest-voting Smith to MileSplit LA's top coaching honor.
"I didn't even know I was up for the award," Smith said. "One of my coaches showed me. And then to win was really something. To have people to support me in that way means a great deal, but it's the kids who deserve the credit. When they look good, they make me look good.I'm humbled by the support the people have shown me."
On the track, the Wildcats were led by sprinter Johnny Woods, who had the fastest 100m and 200m time going into the state meet, but tight leg muscles leading up to the meet had Smith working on his prayer life as he watched the meet unfold.
Woods came to Smith during a practice leading up to the state meet. He told him his muscles were tight. Smith told him to back off practice, and took Woods to see a specialist in Monroe to help with stretching and icing.
Working on some starts just a day before the meet, Woods seemed like he was back to normal on his first two reps. On his third repetition, he felt something of a strain in his leg. Smith had him back off again and prayed that Woods would be able to get through the state meet.
Through it all, Woods did everything his coach asked him to do, which was no surprise to Smith.
"He's an outstanding young man," Smith said. "He is the kind of kid you'd be proud to call your son. He is mild mannered and hard working. He has a tremendous work ethic and does everything you ask him to do. You don't have to remind him to do things. He does it on his own."
Despite the tightness in his muscles and the lack of preparation leading up to the biggest meet of the year, Woods was able to get the job done for the Wildcats. He finished second to Kaplan's Gabe Clement in both the 100m (10.55) and 200m (21.46). The 100m was a dead heat and it took the head finish line judge a few minutes to review the pictures of the photo finish to determine the winner.
Woods also ran legs on Wossman's winning 4x100 (41.57) and 4x200 (1:27.36) relay teams.
There were some performances for the Wildcats which came as a pleasant surprise to Smith. In that category was Brian Fisher's first place performance in the 110m hurdles (14.31) and Jaylon Donson, who had a six second personal record to finish as the runner-up in the 800m (2:01.19).
But it wasn't just Donson with the personal record.
"Every boy we had ran a personal record," Smith said. "That is incredible."
Coach Smith is correct and it's a credit to job Smith and his coaching staff did--especially toward the end of the year.
"We would have never done it without them," Smith said. "They play the good cop when I have to get on to them in practice. When we were preparing for the state meet, they took care of the travel arrangements and other paperwork which allowed me time to focus on the practices."
Smith's coaches include Tony Butler, Dee Dee Massey, Kellie Johnson, and Gerline Guillaume.