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MOORESVILLE Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith says he wants to coach high school football when his playing career is over.
From the looks of things Wednesday afternoon at Lake Norman High, Smith is going to be pretty good at his next profession.
Lake Norman kicker Sully Shidler won a regional essay contest, sponsored by POWERade, to bring Smith to campus as a “coach for a day.”
Smith spoke to the team, which is 4-2 this season, about making good decisions, and participated in drills, teaching receivers some of the moves he's used to reach three NFL Pro Bowls. He also worked with special teams.
“It's amazing to have him here,” Lake Norman receiver Austin Eisenhoser said after some full-speed, hands-on drills with Smith. “You learn all the tricks, and he teaches you so you can use them each and every game. I knew there was a lot more to learn, but not such a wide amount of things.”
Eisenhoser was impressed with Smith's simple teaching style.
“I think he'll make a great coach,” he said. “He can talk everything out real well and he makes it easy to understand. I've learned so much in one day. You feel like it's an advanced class. We're just extremely excited to learn from one of the greatest receivers in the league.”
About 300 fans sat in the stands. Large posters of Smith were plastered all over the stadium. The Lake Norman cheerleaders were on the field in uniform and there were lots of kids – and adults – walking around in No.89 Panthers jerseys.
“I get a lot out of this,” Smith said. “These kids are having a good time and I'm having a good time. I'm a great example of what happens when you make a mistake and how you overcome it. I'm the poster child of what you don't do, so hopefully I can teach them something.”
Smith gave Shidler, the kicker, one of the jerseys he wore last season. It had some nicks and tears to prove its authenticity. It also had a good luck autograph. Shidler, who kicked a 23-yard field goal in Lake Norman's 23-7 win against East Rowan last week, said the last place he was going to put it was on eBay. “It's going in a frame,” he said.
Shidler couldn't stop smiling. His mother, Kathy, said usually you have to pull words out of her son. Not Wednesday. Shidler did a group interview with a large throng of TV and print reporters and had plenty to say to whomever wanted to talk. His father, Dennis, said Smith's visit “might be the best thing to ever happen” to his son.
Throughout practice, Shidler – who didn't dress out – just had this I-can't-believe-this-is-happening look on his face.
“Since (Smith) stepped on this field, I've been so happy,” Shidler said wiping sweat off his forehead. “It's like the earth is shaking right under me.”
Shidler said he wrote the essay about three weeks ago and it took him three hours. “I kept starting over, again and again,” he said.
He and his family were visiting his grandmother in Cornelius last weekend, and when they got home last Sunday, his mother called him into the kitchen.
She had good news. Shidler's essay had won.
He's been the man on campus ever since.
“This is spectacular,” he said.
That's a word Smith used, too.
“These kids feel like I'm going to give them some information,” Smith said. “I have a lot to give, but I don't want to drown them. So it's picking and choosing what I say.
“But this has been a lot of fun, for them and me, and that's about all you can ask for.”
Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133
