Latest news with #JaredSmith
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Bozeman softball coach releases statement after firing
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – Former Bozeman head softball coach, Jared Smith has broken his silence just under two weeks after being fired from his position. On May 29, Smith was informed by Bozeman Principal Ivan Beach that he would not be renewed for his position for the upcoming season. The move came as a surprise to much of the community as the Bozeman softball team was coming off of its furthest regional playoff run in program history. Bozeman fires softball coach following historic season On May 30, Bay District Schools released a statement on behalf of Deane Bozeman School regarding their decision to fire Smith. BDS releases statement regarding Bozeman coach firing On Wednesday, June 11, Smith reached out to local media members with the following statement regarding his sudden departure from Bozeman and his plans to join the Arnold High School softball coaching staff: 'I would like to start by acknowledging and thanking everyone who has publicly and privately expressed support and encouragement for Amber and me. More specifically, I would like to thank each and every player who has played for me during my time at Bozeman and to each of their parents for trusting me to guide their children during their high school softball careers. I would also like to thank the administration, coaches, and teachers I have worked with side-by-side over my 18 years at Bozeman. And as I tell anyone who asks, I have been blessed to have the greatest booster club year in and year out. It is more than fair to say that the hard work and support of the parents (past and present) who have made up the Bozeman Softball Boosters have had a huge impact on every success that this program has experienced. During my time as the head coach of the Bozeman Softball program, there have been highs and lows, learning moments, and memories made that will last a lifetime. The positives outweigh the negatives 100 times over. From the beginning, I strived to set a standard of high expectations for my players, starting in the classroom and then continuing to hold that standard on the field of competition. In the last 7 years, these Bozeman Softball teams have earned the highest GPA in Bay County four times. Just this year, our players in high school had a 100% pass rate on every State EOC/PM assessment. We had 4 high school players finish this school year with a 4.0 or higher GPA. The players over the years deserve all of the recognition and credit for taking their role as a student seriously and meeting or surpassing every expectation that was set for them. Carrying this standard of excellence to the field has been the second phase of my vision for the program I was leading. In my 11 years as head coach at Bozeman, we won 118 games. There were 17 individual players who signed to play at the collegiate level. In the last 8 years, we have made the playoffs 4 times. In 2018, we won the Bay County Tournament title. We were seeing the fruits of the standards I was striving to set come to fruition right in front of our eyes. This current season was validating, in many ways, that we were on the right track. The way this current group of girls competed was exciting and re-energizing. I don't think these girls even realized everything they were accomplishing, because they were simply performing the way we worked to prepare them every day at practice. In their mind, they weren't doing anything special. But, man, was this group special! As a team, these girls broke 4 team records, 6 individual records, and took care of their academics (see above). Over the course of this season, in response to some adversity, I adopted a message to our players that, in a way, became a rallying cry. I encouraged them to 'Be present' and to 'Do more than enough.' Their response was incredible. They earned a spot in the District Championship game (in our first season after moving up into a larger classification). Then they earned the 4-seed in the Regional playoffs, but still had to travel to the 5-seed due to that team winning their district championship. No big deal…they went into that environment (for most of them, this was their first taste of playoff softball) and brought back the first playoff win in Bozeman Softball history. With this win, they earned a rematch from our District Championship game, against the team that finished #2 in the State (a truly great and talented team). In that game, we jumped out early, then fell behind in a BIG way. I called them together in the dugout and reminded them to 'be present' and to give me 'more than enough.' The players in that dugout at that moment may have been the only people alive who believed we had a chance. But they bought in and locked in and fought back from a huge deficit to end up tying the ballgame. In the end, we didn't quite have enough to topple our talented opponents. I, however, have never been more proud of a team than I was at the conclusion of that game. As it turns out, that game was my last game as the leader of the Bozeman Softball program. If you are waiting for me to air out grievances here, then I am going to have to leave you waiting. I am not going to publicly argue or refute any claims. I know, without a doubt, we did things the right way, every time. Whether I understand or agree with why decisions are made, the administration at Bozeman is tasked with making tough decisions daily and this was their decision. If you must know 'why?' all I can do is point you to the statement that was released. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had at Bozeman and every moment will be regarded fondly. As Amber and I are now moving on to a new adventure, we are ready to announce that we have both accepted teaching positions at Arnold High School and are incredibly excited to join their school and softball program. I would like to thank Principal Smith for welcoming Amber and me into his school and athletics program. His support has already been a huge encouragement to us. I am looking forward to learning from their legendary head coach, Rick Green, and immersing myself into their winning culture. This opportunity is an exciting one, both professionally and personally, as we both look to grow as educators and coaches. I realize this has been long, and I'm not sure what is the best way to wrap it all up. So, what I will end with is to simply encourage all past, present, and future players to 'be present' in all that you do and if you are going to do something, always 'do more than enough.'' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bozeman fires softball coach following historic season
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — In a surprising move, Deane Bozeman High School is parting ways with head softball coach Jared Smith, just weeks after their first playoff win in program history. Smith confirmed Thursday night that he was informed by Bozeman Principal Ivan Beach that the the school is, 'Going in another direction with the program.' Bozeman (14-11) advanced to the regional semifinals, after going on the road and defeating softball powerhouse Florida High in Tallahassee. The Bucks eventually fell to state runner-up North Bay Haven, the same team that beat them in the district finals. Jared and his wife, Amber, have led the program for several years, guiding the team to three postseason appearances and helping nearly a dozen players reach the collegiate level. He served as an assistant at Bozeman from 2009-2012, took over as head coach in 2013-2014 and returned again from 2017-2025. All of Bozeman's softball regional appearances have been under the leadership of Jared Smith as head coach. The Bucks finished the season with four players named to the All-County First Team and three to the Second Team, one an Honorable Mention. All but one of those players are expected to return next spring. The school has not made an announcement on the decision to make a coaching change. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Recruiting: Auburn among final four schools for OL Jared Smith
What are the odds that Auburn football has two straight classes headlined by talented prospects named Jared Smith? The unique scenario is one that Auburn could face as a four-star lineman from Georgia, Jared Smith, has listed Auburn as a finalist ahead of his commitment date. Should he sign with Hugh Freeze and the Tigers, it will mark the second-straight season that a player named Jared Smith has signed with Auburn, joining the four-star EDGE of the same name that inked with Auburn in 2025. Advertisement Smith, a senior offensive lineman from Woodland High School in Stockbridge, Georgia, announced this week that Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Rutgers are the final four schools that he will focus on, according to Hunter Shelton of On3. Auburn offered Smith in February, but he has yet to set an official visit according to 247Sports. Georgia appears to be the program Auburn needs to beat for Smith's signature. Smith has visited Athens frequently, which has paved the way for relationships to be built with the Bulldogs' coaching staff. However, Auburn has time to wiggle its way to the forefront before his August commitment date. Auburn has the No. 28 class in the 2026 cycle according to 247Sports with eight commitments. The Tigers have one offensive line commitment from this cycle, three-star Parker Pritchett from Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__ This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn football makes final four for OL Jared Smith
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man offering cattle sales online accused of theft
Authorities say a man offered cattle for sale, made buyers pay a deposit and failed to deliver the animals. Several victims say Garrett Hill, also known as Jared Smith, advertised cattle for sale, required victims to pay a deposit through Cash App or an online transfer and then never delivered the cattle. According to Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper, more people could have been victimized in the case. Hill, who authorities accuse of cattle theft by deception, was arrested by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office on May 7. Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement said they are coordinating with Franklin County's Criminal Investigations Division and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement on this investigation. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officials encourage anyone who may have fallen victim to the scheme to reach out to Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement or the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. The Georgia Department of Agriculture offered a warning to people buying pets over the internet, saying it's a good idea to exercise similar caution when buying cattle, too. 'Many of these criminals operate overseas,' the department's website cautions. 'Finding and prosecuting them could be extremely difficult; maybe impossible. Research the seller thoroughly. Only purchase from sellers you can validate.' Those seeking to buy cattle can find them at auction. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a list of feeder cattle auction sites. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Recruiting: Auburn among final four schools for OL Jared Smith
What are the odds that Auburn football has two straight classes headlined by talented prospects named Jared Smith? The unique scenario is one that Auburn could face as a four-star lineman from Georgia, Jared Smith, has listed Auburn as a finalist ahead of his commitment date. Should he sign with Hugh Freeze and the Tigers, it will mark the second-straight season that a player named Jared Smith has signed with Auburn, joining the four-star EDGE of the same name that inked with Auburn in 2025. Smith, a senior offensive lineman from Woodland High School in Stockbridge, Georgia, announced this week that Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Rutgers are the final four schools that he will focus on, according to Hunter Shelton of On3. Auburn offered Smith in February, but he has yet to set an official visit according to 247Sports. Georgia appears to be the program Auburn needs to beat for Smith's signature. Smith has visited Athens frequently, which has paved the way for relationships to be built with the Bulldogs' coaching staff. However, Auburn has time to wiggle its way to the forefront before his August commitment date. Auburn has the No. 28 class in the 2026 cycle according to 247Sports with eight commitments. The Tigers have one offensive line commitment from this cycle, three-star Parker Pritchett from Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter@TaylorJones__
