Scott Smith, coach of the Texas Bombers 16U & 18U is active in the Army and is one of the many coaches who fell in love with the sport. He serves as Master Sergeant in the Army and has been in it for the last 28 years. Up until the age of 20, he played baseball and eventually tried out for the Houston Astros. 

At tryouts, he knew his baseball career was coming to an end. That's when he decided to join the Army. 

From the Army to the Bombers, Scott Smith tells us exactly why he got involved with softball.

How did you get involved in softball? I had a daughter before I had a son. That's basically how it happened. I had a daughter and she started dabbling in softball. 

What made you stay in softball after your daughter Jade graduated? I fell in love with the sport. Being a baseball guy and you get introduced to the sport of softball. You realize it's such a better sport than baseball because it's so fast. 

What can you tell me about the Texas Bombers 18U team? We're really good. We're a super young team. I start a lot of 18s and 19s on my team now. I don't have a problem with it because I have a lot of the best 2018 and 2019 players in the state. We're young. We're hungry. They're all committed to some really great schools. (Seven Bombers will go to the SEC) They're all really good friends they've been playing together so long. Most of them have been playing together since they were 12-years old.

What's your favorite quote or mantra to live by? "Some days the bear gets you. Some day you get the bear." This sport is tough. One day you could be dominating the game and then the next day you go 0 for 4.

Can you remember a time when your team encountered failure? What lessons did your team learn from that failure? We were down 10 in the championship game. Our kids were still fighting down by 10. They weren't long-faced. They weren't down. We played 14 games to get to the championship. For me that was one of my proudest moments. 

Who's been the biggest influence on you as a coach and why? Tony Rico (Firecrackers). We're chasing their excellence. We're not chasing their team. It's been the fuel for me to look at what they do. I've gone out and spent some time with him. I don't think he knows he's mentoring me but he is. For me in the environment that I have to operate in and play in, coaching and growing a program, he's been a guy.

What's the best softball advice you've ever received? Set objectives and set clear defining ways to get there. In other words, set a goal and don't ever waver from it. Don't let parents, failure, or success throw you off course. Stay the course and know that everything's going to be ok.

If you could be mentored by any coach who would it be? Nick Saban