TRAVIS SMITH

NJ: What do you enjoy most about basketball?

Smith: “I grew up around it when I was a kid and always played it. Basketball was always one of my favorites because there is really not much contact with it and I was one of the smaller kids in the group. I always had to face bigger and better competition and it seem to be a challenge.”

NJ: Do you feel added pressure being voted the region’s top player?

Smith: “No, because the people around me can be one of the top ten in the region. You have Igo (Robbie), who is one of the biggest players in our region. We have Kyle West, who can be a big brute in the middle and Eric Jones can score and with Trevor (Hill) coming up I feel I have a lot around me and I don’t feel as much pressure.”

NJ: What do you feel is your role this year?

Smith: “I feel like I am one of the leaders in the group. I’ve got to get everyone to practice hard and get them in the locker room before a game and get their mind on the game that we are playing.”

NJ: What is the toughest thing about playing for Coach (Tony) Pietrowski?

Smith: “I would say conditioning. I feel like we have a college base conditioning, it’s pretty hard. We did a different type this year, we did more of a P90X workout that was much harder.”

NJ: What do you enjoy most about playing for Coach P?

Smith: “I feel like he knows a lot about basketball. He always gets us ready for the team we are playing and they do a very good job scouting. We always seem to know what other teams are doing when it comes time to play.”

NJ: You played baseball until last year, do you miss it?

Smith: “I miss being around all my buddies that play baseball, but I wouldn’t say I miss it all that much. You play five games a week and always on the road and don’t have time to do anything else.”

NJ: Is there a chance you might play again?

Smith: “I’ve had my ups and downs thinking about it. One thing that keeps me from it, I don’t know if I am going to play basketball in college or not. If I play in college I probably won’t play and if I don’t play basketball in college I am thinking about playing.”

NJ: You’ve had knee trouble over your career. How are you doing now?

Smith: Last year everything went well, but this year they have been a little sore. I guess I am doing more this year than I did last season. I keep icing them and that helps.

NJ: Do you hope to play college basketball?

Smith: I’ve had a couple of schools talk to me, but I don’t know how my knees will handle it. But, I am even thinking about playing golf in college, which I am interested in now.

NJ: What has been the hardest thing about following in your brother, Josh’s footsteps?

Smith: “He had a very successful senior year and he was in the 1,000 point club too. He was a very good defender and I would like to be as good as he was by the time I finish high school.”

NJ: What other sports you enjoy playing?

Smith: “I like to go out to the golf course and play some. Isaac Wilson got me interested in it, him and Coach P’s dad. I got there and started playing, I got better and I just enjoy it now.”

 Word is that Smith and Bill Crook are undefeated as a team.

TRAVIS SMITH UP CLOSE

School: Corbin High 

Year: Senior

Sport: Basketball

Student/athlete: Travis enjoys playing baseball and golf in his spare time. His favorite classes are Recreational Sports and Travel & Tourism. His favorite teachers are Miss Miller and Coach Mac. He enjoys catching up on sports by watching ESPN and likes going to the movies on the weekends. He is currently holding a 3.6 GPA.

Family: Travis lives with his parents, Mary & Jeff Smith. Mary was inducted into the 2006 Redhound Varsity Club Hall of Fame. He has an older brother, Josh, who played basketball and baseball at Corbin High. Josh is currently a starter on the Union College basketball team.

Coach Pietrowski: “Travis is our Mr. Clutch”. He has stepped up and made numerous big shots, big foul shots in tough situations. He has played a ton of different positions and done a ton of different things to help us win district and region championships.”