Smith represents reservists on all-Air Force team

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zach Anderson
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  She was always watching. She was always stuck on the sidelines, mesmerized for hours on end by the action taking place just a few tantalizing feet away. But she wasn't a part of it...she was only a spectator, just watching. Watching as her older brothers ran up and down the driveway, dribbling, shooting, passing ... all the things she longed to do. It was pure torture, the watching. 

Then one day she picked up a basketball. 

On that day, Air Force Reservist Master Sgt. Kathy Smith stopped watching and started to play ... and she hasn't been stuck watching since. 

"The first time I held a ball, I was only seven years old," said Smith. "I thought, 'I love this.' I already knew I loved it." 

Smith, a First Sergeant in the 35th Combat Communications Squadron, 507th Air Refueling Wing, went on to play in the upper echelon of women's basketball, even competing at the NCAA Division I level while a student at Oregon State University. For the last two years, the 17-year reservist has been selected as a member of the All-Air Force Women's Basketball team. Smith recently returned from helping the Air Force bring home a silver medal from the armed forces games. It was her second consecutive year to be named to the All-Air Force team...but things haven't always been so easy. 

"I tried out twice when I was on active duty; for the 1986-1987 team and again for the 1987 -1988 team. It was a great experience, but I didn't make it. I was so disappointed; I decided not to try out again. I thought I would just play at the command level," said Smith.
After 10 years of playing in local leagues and on the base team, Smith was ready to give it another shot. At the age of 41 she strapped on her sneakers and hit the hardwood once again, fighting for a team slot against competition half her age. 

"In 2006, I found out that the team needed centers. So I thought, 'OK, I can do this, even at age 41," said Smith. 

As it turns out, she was right. Against the odds, Smith made the team in 2006. She enjoyed the experience enough to return this year to try out for the 2007 squad. 

"There were 23 of us at the camp and only 12 made the team," said Smith. "The 18-day training camp was intense. By day four, merely walking to and from the parking lot became a painful process, shadowed by moans, groans and grunts." 

Despite the tough practices, Smith once again made the team and had the distinction of being both the team's oldest player and its only reservist.  "Anytime I can toot the horn for the reserve, I do it. We all say 'one team, one fight' but when you are a part of something like this, it really brings it out," said Smith. 

Following training camp the team traveled to Ft. Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania to compete in the Armed Forces Tournament, a round-robin competition with teams from the Army, Navy and Marines. 

Smith said the competition with the other services was heated and intense.  "You feel it from the first day. We're all there together, but none of the services talk to each other. It's serious. It's for real. When the toss goes up it's on," said Smith. 

After playing six games over an eight day period, the Air Force team ended up taking home the silver medal. Smith said that overall, she is pleased with how she and the
team performed. 

"At my age, it felt great to know I could still reject shots out of bounds and fire up my teammates. Because we were a small team, we were outsized most of the time.
Under those circumstances, we did very well," said Smith. All-Air Force Team coaches attributed much of the team's success to Smith's veteran leadership both on and off the court. 

"Master Sgt. Smith brings a work ethic that is infectious. When younger members of the team see her efforts, it's often difficult for them to offer less than 100 percent. The younger players were fortunate to benefit from her tremendous leadership," said Captain Lynitta McCoy, assistant coach of the women's All-Air Force team. 

Smith said this year's silver-medal winning performance makes for the perfect ending for her elite-level playing days.  She doesn't plan to try out for the team again next year.
"I couldn't hope for anything better. This is just the icing on the cake. Even if I wanted to, I can't physically do it anymore.  You just have to know when it's time to stop," said Smith.
While she may be ending her stint as an All-Air Force team member, Smith said she has no plans to stop playing the game. 

"I'll still play in the rec leagues. I'll always love the game," she said. "I'll probably have to be pulled kicking and screaming from the hardwood. I'll be 65 years old and be thinking
that I can still score two points." 

No matter where she is playing, one thing is for certain; Smith will never again be stuck on the sidelines watching.