When Wes Johnson stepped down as head baseball coach at East Webster, the Wolverines didn’t have to look far for his replacement.
East Webster promoted assistant coach Jordan Smith to replace Johnson, who had coached the Wolverines for 20 years and won three state championships.
Smith realizes what he is inheriting as the skipper of the baseball program.
“It is very well known that there is a culture of winning at East Webster,” Smith said. “That dates back several coaches who have done a great job of creating that culture of winning. So I’m humbled and thankful to have this opportunity to follow in the footsteps of some great coaches. I think the administration understood and knew that being a head coach was something that I was interested in. I feel like I have been loyal and worked hard and I think I was ready for the opportunity. They didn’t owe me anything, but I am grateful for the opportunity.”
Smith has been an assistant at East Webster for five years under Johnson. Smith graduated from Union High School and played for two years at East Central Community College. After ECCC, Smith went to Mississippi State where he got a bachelors degree in secondary education. He later got his masters in sports administration from Arkansas State. Smith spent one year each at Pisgah and McLaurin before going to East Webster.
“I feel the call to be a head baseball coach, that’s the way I have handled my business,” Smith said. “Some folks go about their business and see if that’s what they want to be. I have always wanted to be a head coach and have tried to prepare myself for that. I have had opportunities to leave but am going to go where the Lord leads us.”
Smith said he believes the transition will be seamless but did say he will put his own stamp on the program.
“There will be some things that I will do differently,” Smith said. “Not in opposition to Coach Johnson because he has done an outstanding job. But the transition will not be difficult. Coach Johnson and I saw eye to eye on things and spent a lot of time talking about that. This group of kids are extremely coachable and they work extremely hard. I think if you have that caliber of kid on your team, whatever philosophy there is, the transition won’t be difficult. So I’m not going to come in and rock the boat.”
While Smith wants to continue East Webster’s winning tradition, he also has other things in mind.
“I want to create a championship culture while developing the whole student athlete,” Smith said. “Creating a championship culture is not always defined by wins and losses. I have a continual desire to help grow a kid up into a man that can be dependable and can be a great husband and father. That’s what we want to be about and win some games along the way. To me, it’s mind, body, heart and soul. That’s what we want to be about.”
The Wolverines went 18-7 last year and lost in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs. Johnson certainly didn’t leave the cupboard bare.
“For the next couple of years, we pretty much have a large group of pitching coming back and see guys who have some great potential,” Smith said. “The upside is there and potential is there. We have high hopes of having a good year. We have got some talented guys playing JV who are eager to earn a spot. We feel good about our changes.”
