The Malad Dragons have had a lot of new faces for the 2024-2025 sports year including new coaches, players and even fans.  But at the top of the list is the Athletic Director, taking over the helm for MHS sports program.

Joshua Smith, hired on primarily as the new MHS Vice-Principal, has also taken on the role as the AD.  Not only is Smith new to Malad sports, directing sports is entirely new to him as well.  Interviewing for the position, Smith admitted that he had very little sports experience and none as an athletic director.  But his enthusiasm to learn the position and willingness to support the sports program, alongside his many qualifications as a vice-principal, made him the man for the job.

It was sink or swim as Smith jumped head first into the position.  There were games to arrange, officials to schedule, budgets to manage, and positions to hire.  With the new season quickly coming on and its ever growing list of to-dos, it was a steep learning curve for the new sports director.  

Working under the direction of previous AD, and now MHS Principal, Dallin Rupp, Smith has had a first rate introduction to the mechanics and administration as an athletic director.  Now with a few months under his belt and a little experience behind him, AD Smith has begun to get a feel for the position and is excited to make it his.  

It really didn’t take long for Smith to have both frustrating and rewarding experiences on the job.  Smith admits that the toughest part of the position is disappointing the people he is working with and advocating for, whether it is dropping the ball in a forgetful moment or having to negotiate a decision conflicting with what a coach may want.

On the flip side, Smith asserted that the best part of his work as MHS athletic director is working with such passionate people.  He shared, “People that are passionate are driven and motivated to get things done.  Sometimes they might have to be slowed down but working with passion is far easier than working with apathy.  Malad is full of people that are passionate about their sports, athletes and programs.”

As he is new to Malad, the high school and sports, Smith wants people to know that his priority is the people he is there to direct, primarily the coaches and athletes.  “I care about people and their success, however they define it,” he shared.  “If success for them is to win a state championship than I want to help them achieve that.  If their definition of success is found in how they build up their team in the season, I want to help them achieve that too.”

There is always a bit of mixed emotions with high school sports- how much attention and focus should be placed there in comparison to academics and other scholastic clubs or programs.  But Smith’s priorities and focus put to rest the debate over what are the priorities of the MHS
sports programs. 

In discussing his purpose and priorities as AD, Smith spoke of the significant education and development that can come from a great sports program.  The lessons of working with difficult teammates, overcoming challenges, or taking instruction from a coach are not only important for their various seasons, but for their entire life.  Plain and simple, he said, “High school sports programs are meant to build up the kids.”

Alongside his various administrating responsibilities as the MHS athletic director, Smith is very focused on ensuring that the Dragon sports programs incorporate strong core values that are reflected from daily practices to the competition on the court.  He wants to work with coaches to see beyond the x’s and o’s of their program.  

While he is young, Smith brings with him great experience that he hopes will help him to be an influential leader, both academically and scholastically.  “I’ve had experience at every level of education.  I was a student myself, and, admittedly, a terrible one.  I know a lot about getting in trouble.  But eventually I saw the error of my ways and was able to change.  

“As a college student I worked at an elementary school and a custodian until the hours didn’t work with my class schedule.Then I began subbing for work before I became a student teacher.  From there I became a teacher and eventually an administrator.  Through it all I learned the difficulties and challenges at each level but I also saw the importance of position.”

AD Smith feels lucky to have come into an already strong community and school.  “The students and athletes here at Malad are impressive and that is because of the great people here.  The parents, teachers, coaches, leaders, and everyone else that has a hand in helping these kids have done very well in raising this group of kids.  This level of achievement doesn’t happen by accident.”

Smith and his scope of supporting and championing the MHS programs without losing the vision of the athletes they are developing are a welcome addition to the Malad Dragons sports.