Laura Smith

About Me:

I am from Bowling Green, KY and was led to the dirt at a very young age watching my brother play baseball. Through his passion and the other baseball players in my family, I found my love for softball. Starting at a young age in slow pitch and then transitioning to fastpitch, I have spent countless hours on the field. Through each year and each phase, I have very fond memories that will be treasured for a lifetime with friends and family. 

I completed my high school career in 2008 playing for Greenwood High School Lady Gators. I received a varsity letter for 6 years in which my team won 6 District titles, 5 Regional titles, and finished my high school career with Back to Back State titles. Throughout my career, I was awarded First Team All season, First Team All-District, First Team All-Region, and State tournament team honors on multiple occasions. 

After high school, I continued my softball career at Georgetown College for two seasons, in which I was named to the First Team All Season Team, All-Conference Championship Team, and won the Mid-South Conference championship in my Freshman Season. With the conference title, I was blessed to participate in the NAIA National Championship in the same season. Not only did I receive athletic recognition but I was also awarded the Servant Leadership Award for Georgetown Athletics in 2010. I then decided to chase my dreams of playing Division I and transferred to Western Kentucky University for the next 2 years. In those two years, I was able to solidify a position as an outfielder. I graduated from WKU cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2012. I then went on to get my Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree in 2016 from Western Kentucky University. 

After finishing my playing career, I returned to my high school alma mater and joined the coaching staff for the Lady Gators from 2012-2014. During my time as a coach, the Lady Gators recorded a record of 117-14-1 (.886) including an undefeated campaign in 2013. We claimed 2 district titles, 3 regional titles, and 1 state title as well as awarded KHSAA Coaching Staff of the Year for 2013.  Along with coaching, I have been teaching fundamentals to young athletes through private and group instruction for 8 years as well as with speed and agility training for better performance. I truly love working with young females and spreading the passion of the game to them that was given to me by my mentors.

Starting at a young age, I had the God-given athleticism many dream of. I played competitive basketball through AAU and travel softball every summer that I can remember. I had my mother running everywhere in the world trying to keep up with my hectic schedule. My dream of playing Division I college sports was all that seemed to matter. 

Going into my sophomore year of high school, I was 5’3” and weighed a little over 100 pounds. Although I had spent every summer developing my skills in both basketball and softball I continued to hear coaches say, “If only you were bigger.” I was not necessarily tall enough to compete at a high level for college basketball. I was not necessarily strong enough to compete at a high level for college softball. Or so they thought. 

I committed the last two years of high school to get “bigger, faster, stronger” with a personal trainer. I was in the gym before school. I was in the batting cage late at night. My training was hard, intense, and very time consuming but I wanted to succeed and reach the next level. That was my dream. During my junior and senior year, I had the NAIA and Division III schools reaching out to me. It was frustrating but at least I had a chance.  I decided to go with a NAIA softball program that I could make an immediate impact on and put my name in the record books. 

Upon arriving at the campus and attending our training and practices that first year, I began to realize that I had settled. I began having thoughts that “my high school coach was more demanding” or “I need my strength trainer back.” I did not feel that I was continuing to develop as an athlete or as a person. I could feel that my passion for the sport was wavering but yet the desire to play Division I softball was still in my gut. 

The summer after my sophomore year, I decided to transfer home and then I quickly decided that I would give myself the best chance to make my dreams come true. I got back with my strength trainer, my hitting coach, and even put time in with the college strength coach that summer. I committed all my time to training and getting my body right to impress the coaches when it was time to try-out. Not only did I have to show my skills on the field but I continued to attend team workouts for almost two weeks before the coach informed me that I had made the team. “Finally” I thought. 

Looking back now, I know that I had settled coming out of high school, however, I am so happy that I did not let that win over my dream. I could have continued to stay and put my name high on the charts but I knew in my heart that would not have satisfied my goals. The leap of faith it took to transfer and play as a walk-on was the best decision of my life. Not only did I finally achieve my childhood dream but the process taught me things about myself I would have never known had I settled in for 4 years. I learned that the mission of dreams never has a deadline. If you truly want something to happen, you have to make it happen. I encourage you to never settle for something that does not align with your dreams; in sports, career, or life!