HAMPTON, Va. — Ask Mike Smith how he has been able to win so many football games and first he credits his assistant coaches. Then he'll say, "It's a fact that you can't win the derby on a mule, so we've had a number of thoroughbreds here."
Smith is set to start his 51st season as the Crabbers head coach. His teams have averaged almost 10 wins season. That adds up to 497 victories, by far the most in Virginia. Second place in that category is 315.
That is a bunch of wins but ask him what he is most proud of and he doesn't hesitate with the answer, "Probably more than anything else is the fact that these kids go back into society and the neighborhood and contribute socially to the city and surrounding areas and actually all over the country."
Smith was an assistant football coach with Johnny Palmer at Hampton for 6 years before he got the head coaching position. Do the math and that is 57 years of living and breathing Hampton Crabber football. Obviously he loves his job. When I asked him what he loves most about it and the response is, "I think my communication and just being able to visit with the kids."
Kids change over a 50 year period, so I had to ask, does Smith change with the players or do the players change for the coach? I knew the answer as I was asking the question. Smith said, "Now you know not to ask me that question. I'm too hard headed to change for anybody." So I followed that up with what makes it all work? He has an answer for that too, "Because I think they know I love them."
Smith turns 80 in September. It makes you wonder how long he'll keep at it. He laughingly says, "It will come to an end. I hope it's not out on that field."
Then he gets a little more serious, "We're trying to reach a goal of three more games to get that 500 mark."