Former state champion Charlie Smith, one of the best athletes to ever put on an Antioch uniform, is now attending Georgia Tech. Smith, who is competing in cross country and track and field, is majoring in mechanical engineering. Going to college across the country to compete in sports and continue his studies has left some ACHS students wondering about where he is now.
In the world of running, he is doing well. Smith has been getting very promising times for underclassmen and has run at some of the biggest meets in the country. For his personal best his freshman year, Smith ran 24:51 for the 8K during his cross country season, then ran 3:56 for 1500 meters when his track season came around.
“I am very proud of how my seasons are going,” Smith said. “It has definitely taken some adjusting to college running, but I am very proud of the runner I am today. Unfortunately, I got injured at the end of my freshman cross country season, but I have been very patient with the process, and I am very excited for my future training.”
Keeping a level head in the face of adversity is what allowed Smith to continue his running career at such a high level. With being a division one athlete comes a lot of pressure and commitment, and the stress and dedication Smith experiences are things other division one runners and athletes can relate to. According to Smith, splitting priorities between school and running is what’s needed with more intense college courses. Smith often works on his dedication to certain areas to maximize his potential as a runner and student.
“[That principle] is something that I kind of practiced throughout high school, but never really realized how important it is until I got to college,” Smith said.
Now that Smith is coming up on two years since his graduation, it gives him a chance to realize what he liked most about it.
“One thing that I miss most about ACHS is how friendly and welcoming of an environment it was,” Smith said.
Making the switch from a community high school to a major division one program is a challenge, according to Smith, the best thing to do is to trust the process.
