STUDENT-ATHLETE PROFILE -- BRETT SMITH

Size does matter. Maybe to most but not to 2003-04 Ferris State University's men's ice hockey team member Brett Smith.

“Size is only an issue if you worry about it,” said the 5-8, 185-pound senior center. “People always told me my size would be a hinderance and that I would have a difficulty in playing at the next level. But, the only thing I’ve ever been afraid of was not getting the opportunity to prove myself.”

A regular in the Ferris State lineup since his arrival in 2000-01, Smith has steadily progressed through the ranks and accelerated the process these last two seasons. In this his final campaign, “Smitty” as he’s known around campus has seized the opportunity to play a more significant offensive role and has subsequently responded with both career and team highs in points (30) while establishing personal bests in goals (13), assists (17), multi-point games (10) and game-winning markers (three) this season. In fact, his scoring numbers not only eclipses his 17 points (8-9–17) in 42 outings a season ago but also exceeds his 28-point (14-14–28) total from the previous three seasons. Earlier this campaign (12/8), Smith was selected the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's (CCHA) Offensive Player of the Week after posting four points (1-3-4, +3) in a two-game league series at Bowling Green State.

Brett Smith is making the most of his senior year with career bests in a number of statistical categories.

“Obviously, Brett has been scoring a lot for us this season,” said FSU Head Coach Bob Daniels. “He’s always had the ability to score since his arrival but never really has had a chance because of guys ahead of him who occupied the scoring roles.”

Smith has adapted well to the role as a result of refining his ice hockey skills through another version of hockey not played on ice – inline hockey. The fast-paced and ever-increasing popular game, which is conducted on rollerblades, features a four-on-four format with no zone lines and no contact allowed. Although three years have passed since Smith last laced up a pair of rollerblades for competition, the excitement of playing still lies within him.

“I do miss it because it’s really an offensive-minded run and gun style of a game with a lot of goal scoring,” explained Smith, who helped guide Team Ontario to the silver medal in 1999 while achieving first-team all-star honors in the process. “Inline hockey allows you to do different things which you would never dare try in ice hockey. The reaction time is quicker which has noticeably improved my hand to eye coordination.”

While this season hasn’t exactly transpired the way Smith and his teammates envisioned, the assistant captain is appreciative that his abilities and skills have afforded him an opportunity to play at NCAA Division I hockey at Ferris State. Moreover, Smith relishes the accomplishments of the 2002-03 team which captured its first-ever CCHA Regular-Season Championship title and made its initial NCAA-I Championship Tournament appearance en route to registering the program’s most successful season ever with a 31-10-1 overall record.

“Playing here (Ferris State) has been one of the best experiences in my life,” Smith said. “All of the guys have been awesome. After last season, I couldn’t ask for anything more nor dream of anything better.

“Until I came to Ferris, I had never had the good fortune of playing on a winning team,” added Smith.

With his all-out hustle on every shift and aggressive-playing style, Smith has earned the admiration of the Ferris State coaching staff and his teammates alike.

“It’s exciting to see Brett have a breakthrough year,” said Daniels. “Day in and out, he’s one of the hardest workers on our team and has been so for the last four years. I believe he’s one of the most complete players in our league because he not only centers our top line, but is out there on our top power play and penalty kill units.”

Through self-determination, the Guelph, Ontario native grew up in a household which emphasized the importance of working diligently toward achieving one’s goals. The youngest of two siblings, Smith comes from an athletic-minded family as his sister, Brandie, was a four-year letterwinner on the University of Hawaii’s women’s swimming team and is now employed as a personal trainer at the same health club where members of the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks train.

“My parents always told me never to give up and work your hardest if you wanted something bad enough,” said Smith. “My sister earned an athletic scholarship so it drove me to get one. I wanted to be the best kid in our family.”

While Smith’s name won’t be published in the FSU record books section, his teammates and fans will likely recall in the future his Bulldog playing days as he would like to be remembered. “As a player who went out and gave his best every shift night in and out,” said Smith, a criminal justice major and a co-recipient of the team's Blueline Competitive Award a season ago. “I was someone that was willing to get down and dirty to help the team win no matter what the cost.”

Size does matter, especially if you have the heart and will to always do your best like Brett Smith does.