Like many coaches with longevity and perseverance the athletic accomplishments of the athletes that this person has produced speaks volumes. This individual has successfully coached champion athletes in Indoor and Outdoor track as well as soccer. This person has been at the helm of a quality program in Outdoor Track and Field for over 22 years. This person was the first head coach of the Indoor Track and Field program that started over 15 years ago at their school and still holds an assistant coaching position with that program. Currently one of this person’s protégés is ranked No #3 in the nation in the high jump. This person created a program that stressed the development of the complete player. While blending older more experienced players with younger players, this person was able to implement an agenda that kept student athletes competitive and safe as well as providing encouragement and allowing room for the positive growth of their self esteem.
Some of those athletes were quite successful and included the
Indoor Track Class IMS and state champions in the
Outdoor Track Class IMS and state champions in the
The outstanding accomplishments of those athletes do indeed speak volumes, but this person has gone beyond merely instructing the elite athlete to touch the hearts of athletes of all abilities that have come under this coach’s guidance. This person comes to each practice with a daily plan that was always geared to improving and developing the entire player. Physical fitness, sportsmanship, team concepts, fair play, and leadership issues were stressed to name just a few. No two days of practice are ever the same. The variety has always helped to keep the student/athlete interested and focused. Athletes were instructed in basic warm up drills that included proper stretching and warm downs each day. Issues such as nutrition, hydration and the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and substance abuse were part of the program and discussed with the students
Upgrading their own personal skills by attending coaching clinics, workshops and seminars has always been part of the ongoing process to allow this coach to provide as much opportunity as possible for all athletes to thrive under the coach’s direction. Whenever an athlete needed a stretch or exercise to alleviate an ache or pain this person always had not one but several remedies at the ready. Years of study and dedication allowed this coach to devise training techniques for a wide variety of athletes.
Teaching elementary school age children has always kept this person in touch with the hopes and dreams of the very young. This coach kept that in mind while guiding the older middle and high school aged students. This coach has always remained grounded with that knowledge and has sought to inspire older athletes to be true to their beliefs and their roots. Many of those athletes have learned their lessons well from this wise mentor. When asked to comment about their coach, athletes had this to say.
“Steady
Always there for me
A great leader
Inspirational
Supportive and influential
Calm and collected on and off the track
Effective in keeping the team united
Tough
Unselfish
Knowledgeable training advice
Encouraging words of wisdom”
This person also created a successful summer training program for youngsters that operated for years in the town where they live. The coach also created and nourished the middle school girl’s soccer program that is currently flourishing. Former athletes and protégés of this person are in coaching and leadership positions around the state and attending colleges and universities around the country. Parents of this coach’s athletes are proud of the values and beliefs that this dedicated professional helped to develop and instill in their children.
This individual is clearly is at home teaching, coaching and training children of all ages. She is a well known fixture in the Milford community that is respected and is an invaluable asset to her town. It is for these reasons and more that Dee Blanchard is the recipient of this years New Hampshire Track and Field Hall of Fame Award.
Doug Smith has been a Social Studies teacher and athletic coach at Monadnock for the last 30 years. That’s green Monadnock Husky blood running through his veins!
For the last 12 years, Doug has been serving as the Chairman of the Social Studies Department at MRHS.
Doug is currently in his 20th year as the MRHS Indoor Track Coach since he began the program in 1988. In the beginning it was just Doug and a few kids in his car through snow and winter weather. I was quite relieved when he started taking buses. Indoor track has had it’s challenges all along. He prays for no snow so he can at least start his season’s training outdoors and has been known to snowblow the track to get more practice space. Running the halls of the school works well as long as you can hear them coming. They have been called a hazard more than a few times.
He’s always finetuning his training schedule and routines trying to make the most of each athlete’s abilities. He has considered retiring from track but each year he says no, I can’t leave these kids.
Doug has also been part of the Outdoor Track Program for 20 years, having served as the Head Coach of Outdoor Track for 4 years. Giving this up when he became Social Studies Department Chairman was very hard!
Doug was also part of the MRHS Football program for 7 years, having served as Head Football coach for 2 years.
Doug has coached several champion and runner-up teams at MRHS to show for his time of service there.
Those winning seasons include:
1990, '91, '92, '93, '94, '95 Boys Outdoor Track Champions and runners-up in 1996.
1998 Girls Outdoor Track Champions
2003 Boys Indoor Track Runners-up and
2004 Boys Indoor Track Champions
Of course he loves winning the championships but he is always so proud of the individual’s achievements and improvements as well.
Congratulations Doug!