In a state filled with great coaches whom are also great teachers, no one has done more to elevate the game of women’s basketball than former Oregon City High School Coach Brad Smith (b. Dec 16, 1952).

The numbers speak for themselves. 26 seasons as head coach or co-head coach. 626 wins. 10 state championships. 3 unofficial national championships.

The real story is the feeling of family and community Brad Smith created along with a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Smith seized on the practice of traveling out of state to face tougher opponents, not afraid to lose and learn. No matter what the talent he gave his point guards free reign to run the offense and drilled everyone in the pressure defense that became an OC trademark.

Smith also founded the End of the Oregon Trail summer tournament that attracts elite touring teams from all over the country. He is famous for inviting young school-age athletes into the OC locker room before and during games to see his team and interact with them.

The Pioneers success did not come overnight. Smith took over the job at his hometown high school in 1980 after graduating from George Fox. Oregon City quickly went from winless to league champion but did not fare well in post-season. After back-to-back 2 point losses in the 1987 and 1988 state finals, there was some pity for the Pioneer squads that couldn’t quite win the big one.

The breakthrough came in 1992 with a 25-1 championship team. Then the 1994 squad bettered that at 26-1. That was the beginning of a 5 year run of consecutive titles which included three straight years as USA Today National Champion. The pieces were in place for the 1994 championship. The trio of Ashley Smith, Brad’s daughter, Brianne Meharry and Lindsay Yamasaki were unstoppable. Their three-year record of 76-1 was nothing short of amazing.
Smith stepped aside for a season to watch Ashley play college basketball but returned in 2000, now as co-head coach to his long-time assistant Carl Tinsley. That duo won 4 more state titles in a row from 2001-2004 and groomed the next head coach Kurt Guelsdorf.

Brad Smith continues to enjoy working with basketball players and keeping up with his extended Oregon City basketball family. He was inducted into the women’s basketball hall of fame in 2015 and tonight joins the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.