'Family' experience a key to Brittany Smart's career
by Jim Sawin, sports information intern
CEDARVILLE, Ohio (2-15-2007) - Brittany Smart has already established herself as not only one of the greatest athletes in Cedarville University history, but also as one of the best college basketball players all-time in the NAIA and the state of Ohio.
Smart recently surpassed 3,000 career points on Feb. 10, a week after becoming the NAIA Division II all-time leading scorer. The 5-foot-9 senior broke the previous mark of 2,965 points set in 2000 by Becky Sells of Milligan (Tenn.) by pouring in 41 points against conference rival Shawnee State. Back on Jan. 7 of this year, Brittany reached 2,682 points against Mount Vernon Nazarene to pass Dayton's Ann Meyers as the top scorer in Ohio women's college basketball history.
"I'm honored to be the top scorer in Ohio," said Smart. "God has really blessed me with gifts to be able to provide for my team. But this was just as much a team goal as an individual goal. They deserve some of the recognition as well."
Smart has averaged 28.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest thus far this season. Last year, the two-time NAIA All-America First Team standout scored 27.0 points per game while pulling down 7.9 boards per contest. For her career, Brittany has shot 53 percent from the field, 43 percent from beyond the arc, and 83 percent from the free throw line.
The three-time NAIA National All-Tournament player has defined consistency with her outstanding basketball career at Cedarville University. Ironically, her life experience leading up to college was filled with uncertainty and difficult transitions.
Brittany Smart is a family girl down to the core. Her father, Mike, was very proactive in his three daughters' lives, coaching them throughout their high school careers. Brittany attended Troy Christian High School from 3rd through 10th grade, playing two seasons of high school ball under her dad. When current Cedarville University women's basketball head coach, Kirk Martin, left Southeastern High School for the Lady Jackets' job, Mike Smart decided it would be best for the family to take over Martin's position at Southeastern.
"It was kind of hard because I left a school I was at for eight years," commented Brittany about the move. "But, at the same time, I was actually glad because I kind of get sick of the same thing every day."
After a year at Southeastern, Mike felt it was best for the family to make another move when the Springfield Shawnee High School head coaching job opened up. And once again, Brittany followed her dad.
"I could have stayed at Southeastern while my dad coached Shawnee, but I really wanted to play for my dad; I had always played for him," said Brittany. "Looking back, it was a great experience going from a Christian school, to a small public school, to a big public school. I really learned to grow and used what I learned at Troy Christian in the public schools. I had the responsibility to live out my faith so I could tell people about Christ."
And that has been Brittany's focus throughout her basketball career and is a big reason why she attended Cedarville University in the first place. Although both Brittany's parents graduated from Cedarville and her grandparents have been highly involved with the university, last year's American Mideast Conference Player of the Year didn't consider becoming a Yellow Jacket until the summer before her senior year in high school when she and current teammate Karah Walton went on a mission's trip to the Dominican Republic with the Lady Jacket basketball team.
"We were kind of looking into the school, but it was more of a ministry opportunity. We went and really liked the players and coaches which reminded me of the fellowship I had at Troy Christian with Christian teammates and coaches," commented Smart. "I really wanted to get back to a Christian atmosphere and learn as much as I could so when I graduated I would have a solid background."
Brittany and Karah gave Coach Martin the "best vacation of his life," according to the head coach, when they called him a few weeks after the trip to say they were coming to Cedarville.
"I should have known I was in trouble with those two when they were already plotting things against me before they even committed to coming to Cedarville," commented Martin regarding the phone calls. "I was vacationing in Shipshewana, Indiana when I got back-to-back calls from Karah and Brittany saying they were coming. I started jumping and yelling in excitement in a farmer's market. Right then I knew Cedarville women's basketball would never be the same."
Even though Brittany could not play for her father anymore, the talented shooting guard has experienced a different type of family during her four years at CU. Yes, her parents and grandparents faithfully attend each of Smart's games, but the players and coaches have a family bond that goes beyond the game of basketball.
"The players and coaches here come up to you and say, 'Hey, you can talk to me but it doesn't have to be about basketball.' So it's more like a family atmosphere, not just a group of girls playing basketball," noted Smart. "Yeah, we play basketball, but what really unifies us is our faith in Jesus Christ."
Brittany has used her talents to glorify God and impact the lives of others. She sees the game of basketball as a stepping stone to sharing her faith in Christ with anyone who would like to hear. One example took place at the NAIA National Tournament last season against Northwestern when Brittany scored 47 points, the most in school history. The Lady Jackets lost on a shot in the final seconds but still came together after the game to pray with the Northwestern players and coaches to honor God.
"A player's dad from Northwestern just called Coach Martin a week ago and wanted to know what the prayer circle was about," said Smart. "That's 11 months after we lost on that shot. So whether we win or lose we are making an impact and that goes back to our goals of not necessarily winning the national championship but to get our other goal which is to minister and impact lives."
The Lady Jackets are currently ranked No. 4 in NAIA Division II and Smart hopes to finally take home the national championship trophy after finishing as the runner-up her freshman and sophomore years.
"I want to win all the way to a national championship. That's the ultimate goal. We need to win out and get a good seed in order to do some damage in the national tournament," noted Smart. "Maybe we'll lose in the tournament right away but I know we'll accomplish the goal of impacting other's lives whether we don't win one game or win all five."
Brittany desires to keep this perspective in her future endeavors, whatever they may be. As a physical activity and sport studies major at Cedarville, Smart hopes to someday own her own gym. She will get some good experience this summer as she is interning with a gym owner in West Virginia. Brittany has been proactive in using her upcoming degree to set herself up with many career opportunities, yet she still hasn't closed the door on continuing to play basketball after college.
"I think it would be fun to keep playing," said Smart. "I'm definitely keeping that option open even if it's playing overseas, here, or on a missions trip with Athletes in Action."
Whatever Brittany chooses to do in the future, she will continue to strive to live not for herself but for others. Brittany puts it best when she says, "When you put others above yourself, you enjoy life a lot more."
