Story Written By: Zach Segars @ CHSAANow.com
Cheyenne Wells is in the middle of a remarkable multi-year run under head coach Myles Smith. The Tigers climbed all the way to the state championship game a season ago, and two years before that, brought home the school's first-ever football state championship.
Now, Coach Smith is looking to summit that peak once more, and one week into the season, his Cheyenne Wells team is off to a fantastic start.
In Week 1, Cheyenne Wells avenged their championship game loss to Stratton with a 53-40 home win over the reigning state champions. This tremendous season debut helped Coach Smith win Broncos Tackle Football Coach of the Week honors for Week 1.
Why do you coach high school sports?
My dad was a football coach in Cheyenne Wells growing up, so football has always been a big part of my life. After college, I moved back to C.W. and knew that, at some point, I would also like to coach. I love working with the youth in our community, and coaching is the perfect way to help mold our student-athletes into great players on the field and even better people off the field. Coaches are fortunate enough to play a big part in students' lives and we try our best to impact them positively.
Why do you coach the way you coach?
We all coach and play football because we love the game. I try to coach with that in mind. We as a coaching staff try to create an environment that kids want to be in every day and give their best effort for the program. Football seasons are a grind so it is important that each team can embrace that and enjoy the process. Everything we do is to give our kids a chance to be successful.
What is a lesson you try to teach your athletes?
The biggest thing that we try to instill in our athletes is the meaning of team! When kids realize that being part of a great team or program is a lot bigger than themselves, special things tend to happen. We always want kids to be successful individually, and that usually happens more frequently when everyone is working together for one common goal.
How would your players describe your coaching philosophy?
I would like to think my players see me as a calm and collected coach. It is pretty rare to see me get really worked up. We have other coaches that take care of that department. We try our best to have our team prepared for each game mentally and physically so they can just go have fun and play. I always want our players to know that no matter the situation we may be in, I have the confidence in them to get the job done. If they see me staying poised and calm in big situations, then I feel like they will do the same.
What have you learned from coaching?
Coaching has taught me way more than I can say in a few sentences. If we aren't learning every day, then I feel like we aren't getting better. A couple of things that I have learned to be better at over the years are organization and communication. It is all of the off-the-field stuff that comes with being a coach that I struggled with the first couple of years. So, getting better with those two things has helped me be a better coach.
What has been your favorite memory of coaching at Cheyenne Wells?
Hands down, the most memorable moment thus far was being fortunate enough to win the state championship in 2021. It was the first in our school history, so to enjoy that with our coaches, players and community was really special.
What are you most proud of so far this season?
I am really proud of the way this group came into camp ready to compete and work hard every day. Friday night's game against Stratton wasn't perfect by any means, but our guys battled for four quarters and found a way to win.
What has been the key to Cheyenne Wells' success over the years?
I think our success over recent years, not just in football, is a combination of great kids buying into what all of our sports programs at C.W. are building. These kids are putting in the work year-round and it is really a blessing to see it pay off!
What is your goal for the remainder of this season?
We are a team that tries to avoid looking too far ahead. The No. 1 goal is always to go 1-0 each week. Our goals as a team though stay the same every year. We want to win our league title and put ourselves in the best position possible for the playoffs. Ultimately the goal is to make it to Pueblo in late November and have the opportunity at a championship.
