Friday May 25, 200715 memories to (Paul) Smiley about



Paul Smiley is retiring after spending the last 28 years as athletics director at Kentucky School for the Deaf. Here are his 15 top memories from his years at KSD.



1-3. When KSD received word it was national champion (1992, girls basketball; 1993, football; and 1999, football.)



4. Winning the first Girls Mason-Dixon Tournament with coach Lisa Selby, who went on to win five Mason-Dixon titles.



5. Winning the 1988 Boys Mason-Dixon Tournament at KSD when the Colonels upset heavily favored Alabama School for the Deaf in the final. Former KSD athletics director Don Hackney was the Alabama coach.



6. When the football team beat Caverna 33-6 when Caverna was ranked No. 5 in the Class A rankings in 1983.



7. When the football team beat Tennessee School for the Deaf in Knoxville for the first time in 26 years with a double overtime victory in 1982. The players hugged and cried for 30 minutes after the game.



8. When David Hamilton led the Colonels to their only district basketball tournament win against Garrard County and put KSD in the 12th Region Tournament for the first and only time. At the regional, Hamilton received a 10-minute standing ovation from the fans before the game. Also the community donated funds for Hamilton to represent the United States in the Deaf Olympics and raised enough money for him to play in three Olympics. Hamilton now coaches the California School for the Deaf and is head coach of the Olympic team.



9. In 1984 Smiley was coaching football and had only one player show up for practice. Kevin Martin said the players were going to take a day off just like the striking NFL players were doing but he said he was there because he wanted to move up from second team to first team. Martin became a team captain and starter. He now is a supervisor for the U.S. Post Office and president of the Kentucky Association of the Deaf.



10. In 2006, Smiley told the soccer team if it beat Burgin, he would shave his mustache of 35 years. KSD won and Smiley shaved in front of the whole school.



11. The annual fundraiser KSD athletics held and how the Danville community responded to support KSD, something that will always be appreciated.



12. After resigning to accept a job in Pennsylvania, Smiley changed his mind and went to Superintendent John Hudson to ask for his job back. "It is yours," Hudson said and Smiley says he'll never forget that.



13. Seeing Pat Harris have a great senior year in football and basketball in 1993-1994.



14. Coaching the final KSD football game in 2002 when the Colonels, playing with only eight players, lost 36-24 to Georgia School for the Deaf. Official Marvin Kinch recently donated the silver dollar used in the coin toss from that game to the KSD museum.



15. Having three sons involved in activities at KSD as volunteers, game announcers, concession workers, lifeguards, etc.Copyright:The Advocate-Messenger 2007