Student-Athlete Of The Month: Matt Smith

Knowing he wasn’t going to play competitive baseball in college, Matt Smith was determined to make his final stretch of competitive ball be as fun, and as long, as possible.

The class of 2024 Severna Park High graduate reflected on his season, and his high school experience, before he hangs up the spikes and enrolls as a student at Jacksonville University later this summer.

Smith, an outfielder and pitcher both for the Falcons and for the senior American Legion Post 175 baseball team, took it upon himself to be a leader, and sometimes the ringleader, for the summer as the senior Legion team advanced to the states round.

“I wanted to focus on my education, and if it worked out, I would have done (baseball), but it just didn’t work out that way. It’s been a big part of my life, and I just wanted to keep playing as long as possible,” Smith said. “American Legion doesn’t have the same pressure as high school ball, so playing with your friends, keeping it loose and trying to win at the same time, that’s really fun. I’m glad I got to have one more season with them.”

Smith got to utilize leadership experience he gained both on the diamond and in the dugout, as an Eagle Scout, and in the classroom at Severna Park High. He went through both the three-year leadership program and the four-year Project Lead the Way campaign as a Falcon.

“It’s a lot of work in and out of the classroom, and a lot of event planning. I think that helped my leadership in baseball as well, because you’re partnered with someone to execute your final projects,” Smith said. “You’re in it together just like you are on a team, so communication is key. You aren’t going to be able to finish the project if you’re not communicating how it needs to be done.”

That communication was key, and it turned him into a leader during the American Legion season. On the field, he was making sure communication was clear between teammates so that all nine of them knew what the other eight were doing. Off the field, he was the one leading cheers and keeping it loose, but at the same time, he took it upon himself to ensure that the team wasn’t getting too loose and losing sight of the game.

"He exudes leadership and is a great teammate,” said Severna Park American Legion coach Ralph Suppa. “Love having him in the dugout, but he's also a very good ball player."

Smith’s journey has taken him to some unexpected places. He enrolled in Project Lead the Way as a potential engineering major — Smith now plans to study aviation management and flight operations, with a view to becoming a commercial pilot. He wanted to play baseball in college, but education comes first.

Like many of his teammates, though, he is able to look back at his final days of competitive baseball with the satisfaction of finishing up on his own terms.

“We played how we liked to play,” he said. “We aren’t expecting to dominate everyone, but as long as we try our best and we make the plays we should make, we’re happy with how we play.”