John Smith, the 2009 NCAA Division III West Region Women's Track and Field Coach of the Year as chosen by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, has continued a rich history of success forged by longtime coaches Rich Allen (1969-1987) and Wes Cook (1987-2006) in the three years he has been in charge of the George Fox University cross country and track and field programs. 

Smith received his honor from the USTFCCCA after guiding the Bruin women to a third-place finish in the tough Northwest Conference. Nine women garnered 17 All-NWC awards, with three conference champions (Irene Johnson in the 100 hurdles, Emily Hodgin in the triple jump, and Beth Stam in the javelin).  In addition, five Bruin men earned six All-NWC honors (Dakarai Kongela won the 100) while leading the team to fourth place in the NWC.  Six Bruins went on to participate in the NCAA Division III National Championships, with Beth Stam (4th in the women's javelin), Joel Krebs (6th in the men's javelin), and Kongela (8th in the 100) earning All-America honors.  The George Fox men tied for 45th nationally with four points while the women tied for 53rd with five points.

The Bruins' cross country programs were in a rebuilding mode in the fall of 2008, but should begin to climb again in the conference standings in 2009 under the leadership of Smith and assistant coach Jeff Larson. 

A native of Lakeside, Ore., Smith was a football and track athlete at North Bend (Ore.) High School, earning all-state and district honors in both sports and setting a school record in the triple jump. Coming to George Fox, he changed his focus from the jumps to the challenges of the decathlon. He was a national qualifier in the decathlon three times and twice in the pole vault, claiming NAIA All-American status in the decathlon in both 1994 and 1995. At the time of graduation, he held top-10 marks in eight events at George Fox, including a school record which still stands in the decathlon his junior year (7,138 points) and second in the pole vault (15 feet, 7 inches).

After completing his bachelor's degree in health and human performance (fitness management emphasis) in 1996, Smith continued to compete and earned a U.S. national ranking in the decathlon. While competing for Oregon International, he won the University of Oregon Invitational and took second at the Rocky Mountain Invitational in the decathlon before a career-ending injury sidelined him from the sport. Realizing that his true dedication to the sport would best be served coaching and mentoring athletes, he began coaching the jumps and multi-events and worked to earn a master's degree in sport science, which he completed in 2003.

Returning to George Fox as an assistant coach in 1998 after a year as an assistant at Cascade College, Smith worked primarily with the Bruins' jumps, javelin, and multi-event athletes. Under his tutelage, the Bruins had the NCAA Division III national runner-up in the decathlon (Ben Dillow) and the women's high jump (Michelle Forbes) in 2005. The team followed that up with three All-American decathletes (Seth Harris, fifth; Josh Priester, seventh; and Ryan Forbes, eighth) in 2006. The jumps group earned multiple Northwest Conference championships in the long jump (six), triple jump (six), and high jump (three). Smith had 31 NCAA Division III national meet qualifiers, three national runner-ups, and 12 All-Americans during his stint as an assistant.

In his first year as head coach in 2006-07, Smith's programs produced one All-Northwest Conference and four NCAA Division III All-West Region runners in cross country, and six Northwest Conference champions in track and field.  Six Bruins competed in the NCAA Division III National Championships in track and field in 2007, with a pair of All-Americans that included national men's javelin champion Joel Krebs, and a tie for 18th place in the men's nationals.

In Smith's second year, two Bruins earned All-West Region honors in cross country.  In track, eight Bruins participated in the NCAA nationals, with senior decathlete Ben Dillow being named West Region Athlete of the Year and an NCAA Division III All-American by the USTFCCCA.  Twenty Bruins earned All-Northwest Conference honors, with the men winning three events and the women five.  The George Fox women placed second in the NWC.

"The success of our program is a true testament to the athletes we have," says Smith. "I am continually amazed at the level of dedication and work the athletes are willing to put in to reach that next level. The team is also very Christ-centered and provides a family-like atmosphere that breeds success. We work hard and have fun doing it. It is truly a blessing to be able to coach athletes in this program, and I enjoy every minute of it."

Smith is also quick to credit his assistants as a major reason for the programs' continued success, saying, "I believe that my staff will be the reason this program will continue to uphold the Bruin track and field tradition. I am confident that they could coach at any level, and they have the knowledge to help us become a nationally recognized team."

George Fox director of athletics Craig Taylor says, "John's work with the multi-events gives him a well-rounded knowledge of everything it takes to run a successful program. We believe our track and cross country programs will continue to be in capable hands for years to come with Coach Smith." 

Smith resides in Newberg, Ore., and is married to former Bruin track and cross country All-American Dawn Hartwig, also a 1996 George Fox graduate. John and Dawn have three children, Davis (10), Jaci (8), and Blake (6). In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and pursuing his hobbies of surfing, BMX, and fishing.

Jeff Larson, a 1992 George Fox alum and former member of the GFU track and cross country teams, is in his second season as an assistant cross country coach under head coach John Smith after returning to his alma mater in the spring of 2008 to assist the track and field program, working primarily with the distance runners.

A certified USATF Level II coach, Larson spent the previous 15 years coaching and teaching at several Oregon high schools. His 11 years of head coaching experience in schools ranging from 1A Imbler High School to 6A Redmond High School allowed him to gain valuable knowledge of all track and field events.  He used this knowledge to develop more than 50 all-state athletes, including athletes who won 11 individual state titles, two relay state titles, and one who earned a high school all-American award in the decathlon.

Larson's teams were equally successful, winning nine conference track championships and six team trophies at the Oregon state track meets, including a state championship in 2005 at Nyssa High School. As a result of these strong team performances, he was twice named 2A Girls Coach of the Year (2003, 2005) by Who's Who in Oregon Track and Field and once named Boys 2A Coach of the Year (2005-06) by the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association.

A native of La Grande, Oregon, Larson currently lives in Lafayette with his wife Louise and their three children. He enjoys mountain biking and gardening in his spare time.

"Jeff brings both versatility and a passion for sports that compliments our staff well," says Smith. "His knowledge and approachability will give our athletes all the tools they need to improve and bring the cross country and distance programs to the forefront of the Northwest Conference."

Grant Finney is a 2008 George Fox alum and leader on the GFU track and cross country teams from 2004-2008. He is in his second year as assistant coach for Jeff Larson and John Smith, working primarily with the distance runners.

A certified USATF Level I coach, Finney continues to set new personal marks competing in Cross Country and Track and Field events throughout the West Coast. He is a true student of the sport, which has lead him to become a local expert on altitude training.

Finney graduated from Southridge High School where he also competed on the wrestling team and is a native of Tigard, OR. He earned his Master's of Arts in teaching in 2009 and currently substitutes in area schools.

"Grant has a wrestling mentality and brings it to running. He works hard and he expects the same from each athlete. He strives to see each athlete compete to their greatest potential"