Coach Nancy Smith Fun Facts
- Favorite Place in Metro Detroit: Love Detroit, Eastern Market, Riverfront, exploring different areas
- Favorite Sports: College Football, Hockey and Basketball
- Favorite Sports Teams: Michigan Wolverines and the Florida Gators
- Hobbies or Interests: Traveling and love anything outdoors and spending time with my nephews
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In Nancy Smith’s 22 years as coach of the Northville Cross Country Team, she has built a resume that speaks for itself. In the past 11 years Northville XC has finished 10th or better at the State Finals, 8 finishes in the Top 5, in 2013 won the Division 1 state Title and in 2017 was runner up.
She has been coaching cross country for the last 30 years (Cabrini, Redford Union, Northville) and also previously coached Track for 21 years at Cabrini, Redford Union, Northville, Skyline and Ypsilanti Lincoln. In 2013 Smith was the MITCA Division 1 Female Coach of the Year, NFHS Coaches Association Sectional Coach of the year in 2014, the 2014 Michigan High School Coaches Association Female Cross Country Coach of the Year and the 2014 Finalist for National High School Athletic Coaches Association National Coach of the Year for Cross Country.
Smith says that Northville’s 2022 girls cross country is a team of mostly underclassmen who have the drive and desire to be great student athletes. The team is led by their 3 team captains Ella Christensen, Avery Peterson and Mary Nikitas who excel in the sport both on and off the field.
“Every year we have a team word that we live by and this year’s word is BELIEVE! Each year we try to be better than the last year and hold each other accountable,” said Smith.
The team loves to jam to music together before meets and displays passion and excitement for being a cross country athlete.
“We always have a pre-meet playlist that gets us pumped up to run,” Smith said. “Always end our team chant with BELIEVE! Many athletes have their own pre-game ritual from what they eat, what socks they wear, etcetera.”