By Thomas Sellers Jr.
PHOTOs BY TALIYAH CHALMBERS
The Millington Star sports editor Thomas Sellers Jr. presents Millington Central High School graduate Corey Smith the 2019 Male Athlete of the Year Award.
Running came natural to Millington’s Corey Smith.
Maybe it is in his blood or it could be the example set by his father Barry and continuous opportunities provided by his mother Mia.
Thanks to Mia hitting the gas pedal to carry her son from place to place, Corey got a chance to play two varsity sports at Millington Central High School.
Meanwhile Barry was close by giving his assistance to his son’s development. But first Barry would wake up early in the morning to get his run out of the way. Paying close attention nearby was Corey.
Once coaches and teachers got involved, Corey blossomed into a top-notch student athlete earning the 2019 Millington Star Male Athlete of the Year.
“It sound great and feels great,” Smith said receiving the award. “I am just blessed to have the honor to be Male Athlete of the Year. A lot of hard work and a lot of people helped me reach this honor and I would like to thank them.”
Smith said his gratitude starts with the Higher Power.
“I have to No. 1 thank God because I wouldn’t be here without Him,” he said. “He gave me the work ethic I have, the people around me and my parents. I just watched my dad and he really displayed the work ethic I wanted. He showed me if I want it, I have to work hard.
“My mom supported me through the good times and the bad times,” Corey continued. “The coaches behind me throughout my whole athletic career have helped me grow as a person and as a man. I had teachers who helped me throughout the way understanding me trying to balance all the athletics and the homework along the way.”
Growing up in Millington, Corey followed his mom to Bartlett to attend elementary school. Meanwhile back in Flag City he got his athletic career started with Millington YMCA soccer.
Next up was basketball, track and eventually football. When it came time for high school, Corey informed his parents he wanted to be a Trojan.
Then he sprung another request on his mother.
“It was the sixth grade and I had a friend who always wanted me to play football with him,” Corey recalled. “I always wanted to play but it was hard to get mom to give me the OK. The No. 1 rule for her to allow me to play was ‘As long as you outrun everybody.’”
Smith became a kick returner and wide receiver for Head Coach Chris Michael’s Trojan Football program. Smith would spend falls on the gridiron and springs on the track at Millington.
While he was a natural at running, he sharpened his receiving skills and developed toughness for those times he would encounter a tackler.
“I definitely had confidence in myself,” Smith said. “A lot of hard work, I believed in myself ever since freshman year, Coming in as a freshman and not going to Millington, I knew I had to start from a different place from other people.
“I had to prove myself,” he continued. “Coming in new from a different place, I had to make a name for myself. I had to work hard every day in practice. You had to have faith in yourself. A lot of hard work, dedication and staying clean, I had to stay on top of everything like academics. It all started to come together and I had to stay consistent.”
His grades to stay eligible were never an issue. After a while, Smith receiving playing time as a receiver and defensive back was a sure thing.
Smith led the Trojans in receiving yards and touchdowns in 2018 helping Millington win the Region 8-4A title.
“As a team we stuck together,” he said. “Out of my four years at Millington, my senior year, that team stuck together the most. It was the most together we ever were as a team. It felt great.”
Smith also gets a great feeling every time he touches a track. This fall he will begin his collegiate career at UT-Martin.
He plans to build off a stellar high school track tenure which including multiple trips to State. Smith ended his Trojan Track career under the guidance of coaches James Edwards and Darren Garcia.
“I had to put faith in the process,” Smith recalled. “Coming in my freshman year I got hurt. So I didn’t get to run my freshman year. I didn’t know what I was capable of.
“Instead I had to trust coaches and they had faith in me,” he added. “I really had to listen to my coaches and then have faith in myself and know I can do it. I had to stick to it no matter if I had bad days or bad meets.”
Smith had more good meets than bad meets. He even tasted success in the track early on in his career reaching State in relays as a sophomore.
His junior campaign, Smith returned to Murfreesboro in the High Jump. His prep career concluded with participation in the High Jump and 4x200m relay alongside teammates Eddie Macklin, Reggie Caldwell and Adrian “Bug” Dowell.
“I’ve been through the ropes,” he recalled. “Sophomore year it was me and Eddie learning from Zack Johnson and Walter Miller.
“At the beginning of the year we didn’t know what relay we were going to do, 4×4 or 4×1,” he continued. “It would be the 4×2. Everybody as a team, I am super proud of Eddie, Bug and Reggie. They put in a whole lot of work.”
All of Smith’s work, leadership and academic honors paid off with the Skyhawk Track program offering him.
Smith was close to attending his parents’ alma mater of UT-Chattanooga to play football.
“It’s D-I and I get to play at that level,” Smith said of Martin. “I feel like I deserve it and I can make an impact on the team. I feel like I can go in right away and do big things.
“I have faith in myself and faith in my coaches,” he added. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”
Smith is also thankful for the chance to run the race of life adding to the legacy of the Athlete of the Year Award.
“I will continue to put in hard work knowing that a community is behind me with Millington, Memphis and the surrounding area,” he concluded. “It is a big weight to carry but I feel like I can carry it. I’ll do my best to represent my community and be the best I can be.”
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2006 Buck Wakefield Munford
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