Jerry Smith Photo Gallery
Campbell Basketball School Documentary
Tales from the Creek Podcast | Jerry Smith (Oct. 19, 2022)

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Jerry Smith, former head basketball and golf coach at Campbell University, passed away Jan. 30 at the age of 81.  Smith, who served as head basketball coach in Campbell's final two seasons as an NCAA Division I independent (1983-85) and two seasons (1981-83) as head men's golf coach, devoted his entire professional career to educating youth in Eastern North Carolina on the high school and collegiate level.
 
Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 10 at Memorial Baptist Church in Buies Creek.  A burial service will follow in Buies Creek Cemetery.
 
The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 9 at Memorial Baptist Church.
 
After moving back to Buies Creek following his retirement from public school administration, Smith served as color analyst on Fighting Camel basketball broadcasts from 2009-2019. 
 
A native of Walstonburg, N.C., and 1964 Campbell graduate, Smith coached nine seasons at Bertie County High School and led his basketball teams to a 167-42 overall record and the 1970 state 3-A title.  He moved to Chowan College from 1977-80 where he guided his teams to a 65-21 record and two Eastern Tar Heel Athletic Conference titles.
 
Smith returned to his alma mater in 1980 to become the school's assistant basketball coach and head golf coach.  He also served two years as Assistant Athletics Director.  In addition, Smith served as director of the Campbell Basketball School, which was the nation's oldest and largest summer basketball camp in continual operation through the early 1990s.
 
While on the Camel staff, Smith coached under Danny Roberts and alongside Fred Whitfield, who later became president, vice chairman, alternate governor and minority owner of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets.
 
From 1983-85 his staff included assistant coaches Press Maravich and Ron Curtis.  He coached two future NBA draft selections in Tony Britto (Chicago, 1982) and Big South player of the year Clarence Grier (Houston, 1987).
 
During his tenure on the Camel staff, Smith's basketball teams played a schedule that included such notable players as NC State's Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe, Lorenzo Charles, Nate McMillan and Spud Webb, Navy's David Robinson, SMU's Jon Koncak, Clemson's Harvey and Horace Grant, and Houston's Greg "Cadillac" Anderson – all of whom went on to NBA careers.
 
He left the college ranks in 1985 in order to spend more time with his wife, Linda, and children Sheri, Jerri Lynn and Bill.  Smith served as assistant principal job at South Johnson High School (1985-90) and principal at Louisburg (1990-92), Greene Central (1992-96) and Clayton (1996-2008) High Schools.  The basketball floor at Clayton is named in his honor.
 
During his tenure as a high school principal, Smith instituted a "Code," named for that school's nickname, that was posted on classroom walls, student IDs and the school newsletter.  At Clayton, it was known as "The Comet Code."  Freshmen learned it upon enrollment, and the "Code" would be the last thing Smith would say at graduation.
 

• Be where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there.
• Say what you are supposed to say, when you are supposed to say it.
• Do what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it.
• Respect yourself, others, their rights and property.

 
In 2008, Smith was presented the state's highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in recognition of his more than four decades of service as an educator.
 
Not surprisingly, Smith's son Bill, went on to become a high school golf state champion and member of the University of North Carolina's NCAA runner-up squad.  Smith's grandson, Brett McLamb, helped lead Campbell to 3-straight NCAA regional berths from 2017-19 before playing as a graduate transfer at NC State in 2019-20.
 
Flowers are welcomed; however, donations may be made to Memorial Baptist Church, P.O. Box 485 Buies Creek, NC 27506.  The family appreciates your thoughts and prayers.
 
Memories of Jerry Smith from his players and colleagues
 
Wanda Watkins '79 | Campbell Women's Basketball Coach (1981-2016), Senior Associate A.D. (2016-present)
Jerry was a dear friend over the years.  He was always upbeat and fun to be around and had a special way with people.  He had a tremendous impact on the lives of so many young people throughout his career in coaching and education.  We will miss him in the Campbell community but will cherish our memories of him that will be with us forever!  RIP our beloved friend.
 
Fred Whitfield '80 | Campbell Men's Basketball Assistant Coach (1980-82)
It was an honor for me to coach alongside Coach Jerry Smith. He was a great teacher of the game and positively impacted the lives of the many young men that he touched in the Campbell Men's Basketball program. He will be missed.
 
John Marshall '84, CU Law '89 | Campbell Golf (1980-84)
I first met Coach Smith my freshman year (1980-81).  Campbell made Coach Smith the men's golf coach (in the) summer (of 1981).  Coach Smith called me immediately.  In what I would later learn to be his trademark way, he told me how much he was looking forward to being my coach, how much potential I had and how he had high expectations for me the upcoming year.  He just had a way of talking to you that instilled his confidence in you such that when you got off the phone with him you felt like you could do anything.
 
The fall of my sophomore year started kind of rocky.  My qualifying scores were not good enough to make the first tournament at Methodist College held at Cypress Lakes Country Club in Fayetteville.  Before he told the team who was going, Coach Smith pulled me aside.  He said he was thinking about taking me anyway and asked where I thought I was with my game.  I felt bad because I had put my new coach in a heck of a spot.  I told him that I had made a few adjustments, that I thought I was turning the corner and that felt like I could help the team if I went.  He said "Well, I believe you.  You are my number 1 player.  I may make some people mad but I'm going to take you.  Now go get ready."  That was a big decision for him given the circumstances and showed a tremendous amount of confidence in me that I may not have deserved.  It also gave me a huge boost of confidence.  I ended up being low scorer for the team and winning the tournament individually.  What he did for me under those circumstances is something I have never forgotten and one of the first things I always think about when I think about Coach Smith.  Belief in another person is one of the most powerful gifts a person can give.  Coach Smith gave that gift to me and I have never forgotten it.
 
Coach Smith expected you to work hard, conduct yourself as he believed a golfer should, never quit and always do your best.  I think what Coach Smith did for the golf program those two years was the beginning of what the program has become today.
 
Coach Smith's death has caused a whole flood of memories that I have not taken the time to think about in a long time.  Coach Smith was a great man, mentor, and friend.  I have been fortunate to have been influenced, mentored, encouraged, and coached by many people in my life, all of whom have helped me get to this point.  But I still think back to that day Coach Smith had faith enough in me to play me when I didn't deserve it.  One never knows the tipping point in anyone's life and who knows if that was the one.  But it damn sure helped.
 
Juan Austin '86 | Campbell Men's Basketball (1982-86)
I have fond memories of my time playing at Campbell. Coach Smith was more than a coach, he was a mentor and a friend who helped me live up to the values of hard work, dedication, and teamwork. His legacy lives on through the players he helped to become better men.
 
Paul Clark '86 | Campbell Golf (1982-83)
The first time I met Coach Smith, with his dog, Dusty, ever present back then, was as a senior in high school in the spring of 1982. I visited Campbell and some friends who were on the golf team. While I was not recruited by Coach Smith, he gave me an opportunity to compete for a spot on the golf team, which I am so grateful to him. Being a member of the golf team in 1982-83 was a privilege since the team was filled with such talented individuals. Because of Coach Smith giving me the opportunity to be on the golf team I had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful teammates for whom so many have been lifelong friends for the past 40-plus years.
 
As a student whose family lived in Indiana, Coach would open his house to me during breaks when I could not go home and he would let me store items at his home over the summer break.
 
I have had a number of opportunities to go back to Campbell and it seems that every time I was at Keith Hills I ran into Coach Smith. I enjoyed catching up with him and seeing how his family was doing. And we always talked about the guys on the team and what a great group they were.
 
I qualified for the CGA Mid-Amateur held at Keith Hills in 2020, 35 years after I graduated. When I arrived at the golf course and saw Coach Smith he said, "What are you doing here?" I replied, "Coach, believe it or not, of all the talented players you coached I know I was the last guy you thought you would see here."  We had a good laugh.
 
The last time I saw Coach Smith was homecoming weekend this past fall. I was playing with my son and some of his friends and we were on a par 3.  I saw a golf cart coming around the green. I said to my son I bet that's Coach Smith. Sure enough, with a dog in tow, it was. When took time to catch up while letting a couple of groups play through.  I always let him know how much I appreciate him, and all that he had done for me.
 
Clarence Grier '87 | Campbell Men's Basketball (1983-87)
Coach Smith was intense and passionate about his players understanding the game of basketball, and more particularly understanding life lessons that basketball provided. This passion and love for the game made us better players, but also better men. A Camel through and through. Prayers to the Smith Family. Coach Smith had a positive influence on my life and many others.