MELBOURNE, Fla. — Viera High School is known for producing a lot of really great athletes in all sports in which they compete. One of those sports is Football. Great athletes always need great coaches to help guide the way and one of those coaches is Derek Smith. Coach Smith is about to go into his 4th year as Head Football Coach at Viera High.

Coaching sports is not new for Coach Smith. He has been coaching for 25 years in all different areas including:

Chowan University as a football coach, youth coach for football and girls soccer, high school level of wrestling, and baseball. In addition to coaching football, he is the Assistant Coach for Boys Lacrosse, a team in which his son is a player. His daughter graduated a few years ago from VHS and Coach Smith was lucky to coach her soccer team while she was a student.

Coach Smith grew up playing sports and has a passion for them, especially football. It was an outlet for him as a child and teen. Anyone can stand in front of kids and try to coach them, but Coach Smith says to be effective it takes, “passion for the game, the ability to understand young men and women athletes, the discipline of the game and the love of studying and fine-tuning all sports.”

Some of his best moments in coaching so far are:

• First and second state championship as an assistant coach at Palm Bay High
• Two state championships as an assistant coach for Viera High School girls soccer
• The opportunity to coach his daughter and son in their respective high school sports
• Every coach is different in their coaching style. Coach Smith pays attention to detail, doesn’t underestimate the intelligence of his athletes, and allows the assistant coaches to do their jobs. He takes pride, care, and love in the sports he leads. He also makes sure, “every player understands it’s not about the individual but it’s about all of us collectively, as a whole. No “me” mentality. No one is more important than the other and we have to work cohesively to achieve a common goal.”

Just like with any sport, every year is new and with different kids. Every coach has their own way to approach the season and for Coach Smith, it is players who must put forth the effort and aim for perfection in their position. Working on what is broken is important and his belief is, “iron sharpens iron.” For his teams, it is putting the best players against the best players. Growth occurs when playing against stronger teams and players.

As VHS football goes into the start of the season soon, they are replacing a lot of starters due to graduation. Smith says that the class of 2022 is a great group of athletes and they have been together for several years. Additionally, they have each other’s backs and play well as a team. The class is ready to step up and take the lead going into the next season.

Coach Smith’s skills as a coach and leader have not gone unnoticed. He has won awards for Bayside High School Teacher of the Year, Cape Coast Conference Coach of the Year, Gerald Odom, BSN 2020 Coach of the Year, and Multiple FACA District Coach of the Year-most recently in 2020.

In closing, Coach Smith shares this with our readers:

“I truly enjoy the Viera community. I am also very supportive of all the VHS sports programs along with the youth programs. I am proud to be a Hawk and a part of the Viera community! I also enjoy spending time with my family outside of coaching doing pretty much whatever my wife wants to do. I have to make up for the time we lose. She jokingly says “a happy wife makes for a happy life.”

If you have a chance this fall, head over to a Viera High School football game so you can see Coach Smith in action, leading with passion as he coaches his young players. For up to date schedules for all Viera High School sports, check out www.maxpreps.com

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