Mount Tabor High School names Reagan teacher and coach as its new athletic director

Mount Tabor High School introduced its new athletics director on Thursday afternoon in the school's media center, and it didn't have to look very far away to find him.

Wingate Smith, who has spent the past 10 years at Reagan as a teacher, girls basketball coach and girls soccer coach, and for the last five years as an assistant athletics director, will take the reins as the Spartans' next AD.

"Please don't judge me for currently working at the school down the road," Smith said with a laugh to a gathering of current coaches, teachers and school volunteers.

"Thanks for welcoming me to the Mount Tabor family," he said. "I cannot tell you how excited I am. I'm honored to step into this role and work alongside such a talented group of coaches, educators and volunteers. As someone who has spent my entire adult life in athletics, I know how much time, energy and passion goes into what all of you do every single day.

"Coaching is not easy. Teaching is not easy. Balancing both of those things takes a special kind of person. I've lived that life and I know exactly what it takes."

'Wanted to get back'

Smith grew up not too far down the road from Mount Tabor and graduated from Thomasville High School in 2001, where he played soccer and was the kicker on the football team.

He went to the University of North Carolina and graduated in 2005 with a degree in geography. While at UNC, he served as a student manager for the women's basketball team under longtime coach Sylvia Hatchell.

After graduating, he attended graduate school at Wake Forest University and received his master's in education in 2006 and served as a graduate assistant coach for the women's basketball team under Mike Petersen.

He spent his first year teaching middle school social studies in the Thomasville City School System from 2006-07 before being offered a job as the director of basketball operations for the University of Washington women's basketball team.

After the coaching staff was dismissed following the 2009-10 season, he returned to North Carolina to teach middle school social studies in Morehead City.

"The goal for me was to always get back home to North Carolina after I left Washington," Smith said. "I applied for every teaching job that I could, which was more difficult to do interviews at that time because I was living in Seattle. It was a great opportunity in Morehead City, and I was also coaching basketball and soccer."

After two years, he was an Exceptional Children's math teacher and social studies teacher with the Wake County Schools in Raleigh from 2012-2016 when he got the call about teaching at Reagan.

"I always wanted to get back in this area," Smith said. "I grew up here. My family still lives here. It was a steady move west once I got back to North Carolina and landed at Reagan."

He was an EC case manager at Reagan and also co-taught math classes in addition to his coaching and AD duties.

'As prepared as I can be'

After five years as an assistant AD, Wingate was ready to take the next step forward in his career.

"One of the things that drew me to Mount Tabor are the traditions that exist here," Smith said. "When people think about Mount Tabor athletics, they think about excellence. I knew about Mount Tabor where I lived when I was growing up, even though we never played against them.

"You were very aware of them. I know what Mount Tabor has done in the past with its athletics. I know about the state championships, the success the athletic teams have had here, and the high standards associated with being a Spartan. My goal is to build on what has already made Mount Tabor successful while continuing to move it forward."

Smith will officially step into his new role on June 1. He will succeed Patrick Cromwell, who served in the role the last two years. After a career in education and coaching that spanned more than 20 years and numerous state championships in track and field and cross country, Cromwell is stepping down at the end of the school year.

"I'm going to meet with Patrick on Monday to go over all of the ins and outs with him," Smith said. "The biggest thing for me now is getting information from the fall sports coaches to see what they need and what I can do to help them. The athletic department here has been successful for a long time. I'm going to come in, carry on, and continue this proud tradition."

Matt Dixson, the principal at Mount Tabor, said he felt like Smith was the ideal candidate for the job.

"Our athletic history is paved with the hard work of incredible student-athletes and legendary coaches," Dixson said. "We believe Wingate Smith possesses the vision, integrity and passion necessary to lead our programs forward and continue that tradition of winning with character."

Smith said he's gotten plenty of advice already from Mitch Adams, the AD at Reagan, and from Alexis McCoy, the former Reagan AD who is now the AD for the school district.

"Between the two of them, they have helped me prepare for this job," Smith said. "Mitch has given me probably a lot more responsibility lately that some other assistants don't get. I've run game nights there. I've worked football games during the fall and know what that's all about.

"I know that the first time you do anything, there will be a big learning curve. And I know that I will need to earn the trust of the people here. But I feel as prepared as I can be for this job."

'The laundry you wear'

Smith said it's been about 10 years since he had to cut any grass or line any fields, but that he's ready to learn the system at Mount Tabor and jump right in.

"Right now, I'm even more worried about finding all the light switches," he said with a laugh.

"But in all seriousness, I believe that great athletic departments are built on consistency, accountability, communication and establishing relationships. My biggest priority will be to support our coaches. I want them to know how much I value what they do and give them the tools to support them to be successful. The culture of any program starts with the adults that are leading it, and that starts with me now."

Smith wants to ensure that the student athletes and the students understand what it means to be a Spartans.

"I want them to take pride in Tabor City," he said. "I want them to understand what wearing that navy and gold means. It means toughness, commitment, discipline and pride, not just in competition, but also in life and throughout the community. Athletics can change lives. I know that they have changed mine."

Smith said that he's not sure what he's going to do with all the Reagan gear he has accumulated over the years.

"I was joking about that with Mitch (Adams) because there aren't any other coaches who are my size," Smith said with a laugh. "The past 10 years at Reagan have been amazing. I've met some lifelong friends and feel like I have grown immensely during my time there. I feel like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, and that I've really hit the lottery."

And guess who Mount Tabor opens up its football season with on Aug. 21?

That's right.

Reagan.

"That might be a little weird, for sure," Smith said. "As a sports fan, you come to love the laundry you wear, and the people who wear the same laundry as you are your people. And if you leave, they might not be your people anymore in that sense, but you still know everyone wearing the laundry. Josh McGee (the football coach at Reagan) is one of my best friends, and it will be really weird to pull against him come August. It will be weird to see kids that I have taught there and coached there.

"But I'm wearing the Mount Tabor laundry now, and these are my people. And I can't wait to get started. Go Spartans!"

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