Scott Smith amassed nearly four decades of coaching going into becoming the first women’s flag football coach in Triton College history.

A California native, Smith has worked in high schools all over the Chicago area after learning from his father, Samuel Smith, a teacher and coach. He graduated high school from New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, N.M. in 1983 before moving to Chicago to complete his football eligibility at North Park University in 1987.

Smith broke into coaching as a student-teacher assistant at Chicago’s Mather High School in 1989. He was a volunteer coach at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights under Bruce Glover, then had stints as an assistant coach at St. Viator and Prospect high schools. He was the varsity offensive line coach on Prospect’s Class 7A state champions in 2001.

From 2002 to 2004, Smith returned to St. Viator as head coach Chris Kirkpatrick’s defensive coordinator. In 2005, Smith obtained his first head coaching job at Niles North High School in Skokie, holding the job for seven seasons.

McHenry High School appointed Smith athletic director in 2012. From 2019 to 2023 he taught and coached at South Elgin High School, where he was head coach Dragan Teonic’s offensive line coach. He helped a program that went 45-5 and won five straight Upstate 8 Conference championships.

Smith also coached basketball, softball, wrestling and track and field in his high school stops.

He has been married to his wife Donna for 33 years and has two adult children, Zack and Jessica.