Guthrie Public Schools has appointed current GHS Volleyball Coach Josh Smith as it’s next Head Girls Basketball Coach pending approval of the GPS Board of Education. He replaces Breck Clark who recently accepted a position with Mountain View-Gotebo Public Schools to be their Head Boys Basketball Coach. Smith will continue to oversee the GHS Volleyball program for the 2024-25 season.
Completing his second year at GHS, Smith helped start the Guthrie Volleyball program and served as an assistant coach for the girls basketball program during the 2022-23 year then moved to assist the boys program last year. Prior to his time at GHS, he spent six years at his alma mater, Venus, TX High School. After one season as an assistant, he was promoted to head coach where the Lady Bulldogs averaged over 20 wins per season under his leadership.
Smith is a 2016 graduate of Mid America Christian University where he was a four year men’s basketball letterman earning all-conference honors and the Champions of Character award by the NAIA as the Evangels advanced to the Elite Eight. Smith is married to the former Kenzie Graeber, a 2011 graduate of Guthrie High School who also played softball at MACU. They have a son and twin daughters who attend Fogarty Elementary.
Quotes from new GHS Girls Basketball Coach Josh Smith: I would like to thank the hiring committee, Coach Chappell, Mr. Hancock, and Dr. Simpson for giving me the opportunity to be the next Head Girls Basketball Coach at Guthrie. For the previous two years I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the studentathletes here as well as getting to know the community of Guthrie.
I couldn’t pick a better place to be for my family and myself to call Guthrie our home.
The Coaching staff and I are excited to get to work to build the program. Our focus is to promote a culture of high morals with hardworking and determined young ladies, pushing for excellence on and off the floor. We are excited to get to work and begin the process.
Quotes from GPS Director of Athletics Jon Chappell: “We are really excited about Coach Smith’s ideas in building our program from elementary level through the high school varsity program.”
Quotes from Guthrie Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mike Simpson: “We are excited to see Coach Smith get an opportunity to lead our Lady Jay’s. During his two years in our district, I’ve been impressed with his willingness to do whatever it takes to improve our programs. He is a tireless worker who brings a family atmosphere to everything he does. Creating a family atmosphere is important to us.”'