Dave Smith named varsity coach at LHS
May 25—LOOGOOTEE — Loogootee High School named teacher and coach Dave Smith as the new varsity basketball coach, after being recommended by the school board on Thursday morning.
Smith has been a long-time part of the basketball program, dating back to being on the bench with coach Jack Butcher in the early 1990s. He also served three years as the girls' varsity coach and has coached golf at LHS. He most recently served as Loogootee's 8th grade coach under recently departed head coach Ryan Haywood, who took a job at Southridge. The Lions were 20-8 last year and lost 67-66 to Indianapolis Lutheran at Semi-State. Smith was 34-29 as the Lady Lions head coach from 2007-08 to 2009-10.
"I'm really looking to this. I thought Coach Haywood did an outstanding job. I hope to build on what he did," said Smith.
"I'm a life-long Loogootee resident and I can honestly say this is the only place I have ever wanted to coach and teach," said Smith. "It may sound a little like a cliché, but I will give this everything I've got."
"I was a little surprised when Coach Haywood moved on, but I thought this was a good time to apply for the job. We lost a lot of talent to graduation, but I think that we will have a lot coming back and I'm very excited about the summer. I think that when the tournament gets here, we will be one of the teams to beat."
Smith is a Loogootee graduate from 1981 and got his undergraduate degree from Oakland City and Masters at Indiana Wesleyan.
He said he will be putting his staff together over the next few days, but said that Mike Wagoner will be back on the bench. Smith was part of Wagoner's staff when Loogootee won the 2012 state title. Both were part of Jack Butcher's staff together.
"Mike has already agreed, and he is just such a great resource. I'm going to reach out to Coach Butcher, let him know that he will be welcome anytime he wants to come by. Hopefully we will be able to have everything in order over the next few days," said Smith.
