During Black History Month, App State Athletics is highlighting some of the accomplishments and perspectives of coaches, administrators and staff members who serve as role models to our student-athletes.
Many of those individuals have had an impact on student-athletes such as
Caleb Smith, a standout wrestler for the Mountaineers.
Q: Why is acknowledging Black History Month important to you?
Caleb: It's important because we're a group of minorities throughout the world who often don't get a lot of recognition for things, whether it be in sports or outside of sports, with our social justice movements or just being recognized as people who can achieve at high levels, no matter what their circumstances are.
Being at a PWI (Primarily White Institution) is something I struggled with when I first got here because there weren't a lot of people that looked like me, but with our support staff and the coaches bringing in people with high levels of success, it gives me something to look forward to and be able to know that I can reach high goals, whether it's being a world champion or being a business owner. It's just let me know that, no matter what I look like, I could still achieve at a high level.
Q: Whether it's in wrestling or outside of that, have there been some people who've inspired you based on seeing that they've beaten the odds or come from circumstances where people didn't have a lot of faith that they'd be able to accomplish something?
Caleb: My dad, he came from a small country town, and he had a little bit, but he didn't have everything that I've had growing up. Seeing him go and getting multiple promotions and just working so hard, he instilled that into me and made me realize that I could be successful. Now, he helps own a business, and realizing he's so successful because of the way he works and how he treats people allows me to put myself in those shoes and hopefully have the same results or better results.
Q: On campus, who are some of the people who helped you make the adjustment in a new environment.
Caleb: Professor Fyles, he's one of my favorite professors, he judges you based the way that you work, and he's always telling me that my work ethic is going to take me really far in life. Seeing people like Doug Middleton, Coach Diabe, Rob Carlisle, they're in pretty high positions, and I might not be able to make the NFL like Doug Middleton, but seeing somebody like that have that caliber success in college and outside of college and professional sports lets me know that I can achieve at a high level. And they support us in our sports, but also off the mat and let us know they have our backs.
Q: How important is it to have representation in your sport where you can see people similar to you succeed?
Caleb: Definitely. Last year, seeing multiple national champions that looked like me was kind of empowering. One, it's hard to win a national championship and not something that happens every single day, so seeing people that look like me do it, it makes it a lot more attainable. With teammates like Jon Jon, he's one of our best leaders on the team, and his success, seeing somebody that has gone through some of the same struggles as me, that's also empowering. It uplifts me and gives me hope for how I can possibly empower other people that look like me or don't look like me, either way, to be a better person or a better leader.
Q: You just touched on that, but can you see that impact, whether it's high school kids or young children coming to wrestling matches, the domino effect where they can see you or someone like Jon Jon and dream big?
Caleb: Definitely. I've had a lot of people come up to me after matches, and that's a diverse group of fans and supporters. That's pretty awesome, because in wrestling, or almost any sport, it doesn't really matter what you look like or what you have. It's how badly do you want it and how much time you're willing to put into your craft. Hopefully, I can give them some hope by the success I have on the mat. I think I am, but I just want to keep working toward that.
Q: Is there anything else that's important for you to share?
Caleb: Being at a PWI, I'd probably say the most important thing is reaching out to people, finding your support staff. They don't have to be the same race or anything, but just knowing they have your back regardless of what happens.
