Calhoun softball coach Diane Smith
Credit: WDEF CBS Chattanooga, TN
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Diane smith is one of the winningest high school softball coaches in georgia.
And this fall, she'll look to add to her irmpressive victory total as she begins her 35th season as the yellow jackets head coach.
Diane smith has literally coached her whole life, starting as a teenager.
Smith:"i started coaching when i was 17 years-old.
A rec team.
Matter of fact those girls were fourteen, so i was only a few years older than them."
Before getting head coaching job at calhoun, smith also served as a softball umpire, where she had only one incident.
Smith:"believe it or not, i only had to throw one person out, but that was in rec ball, church leagues mens.
Mens church league.
They were the worst."
Sometimes it's hard to feel the love as an umpire, but there's not mistaking smith's love for calhoun.
Smith:"oh my goodness.
There's a yellow jacket right here on my heart.
I mean there's no way i'd even go anywhere else."
When a pe job came open at calhoun in 1977, smith was determined to go to work at her high school alma mater.
Smith:"went and talked to the superintendent.
He said well diane, we're saving that job for a football coach.
I said hey, i'll coach football.
The look on his face.
I mean our meeting was over.
The next week i got a call.
I got a job, but it wasn't at the high school.
They made one for me at the middle school."
In here three decades of coaching, smith has won over 700 games and four state titles with the first coming in 20-13.
Smith:"it took me 28 years to get a state championship.
It was incredible.
I coached middle school basketball for 36 years.
I had like 750 wins in basketball, so you know.
Just keep on rolling."
One piece of advice if you see coach smith, please, don't ask her about retirment.
Smith:"i hate for them to say when are you gonig to retire.
Just because i'm 66 years-old does not mean i'm ready to throw in the towel.
I don't want to.
I love it."
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