Against the Odds
Growing up in Norfolk, Virginia—just 40 minutes from William & Mary—Sam Smith saw the university as a distant dream. Raised by a single mother alongside his three sisters, Sam witnessed resilience firsthand. His mom worked three jobs, including serving as a librarian and later janitor in the same building, just to make ends meet.
“She sacrificed so much,” Sam recalls, “but she made sure we never felt like we were going without.”
Sam’s love for sports began early—football, basketball, baseball, and gymnastics. But as time went on, he had to choose. Gymnastics became the path forward. Yet that path came with barriers. Competitive gymnastics is notoriously expensive, and Sam’s family couldn’t always afford to travel to major meets. Thanks to his church community—and a guiding presence in Pastor Jenny—fundraisers were organized so Sam could chase his dream.
Even with the support, the road to college athletics was uphill. But Sam’s determination and the discipline instilled by his club coach, who preached accountability daily, caught the attention of W&M’s coaching staff. The dream became reality—until it was nearly taken away.
The Voice in the Gym
Sam entered his freshman year already injured from a TFCC tear in his wrist that required surgery. “Mentally, it destroyed me,” Sam admits. He returned home, isolated himself, and tried online classes—but the disconnect deepened his struggles.
By sophomore year, Sam reemerged—stronger, wiser, and more grounded. He rejoined the team and found success athletically, socially, and academically. But fate wasn’t finished testing him.
At the beginning of junior year on the same day Sam helped freshman move in, Sam tore his ACL. Drawing on lessons from his past, he made a different choice. He stayed. He showed up. He studied routines, supported teammates, and grew as a leader.
That growth paid off. After an ambitious six-month recovery, Sam returned just in time for the USA Gymnastics Men’s Collegiate National Championships, placing 5th on Pommel Horse. His team noticed—he was elected captain the next season.
Then another setback: a torn UCL. Once again, Sam chose presence over retreat. He stepped into a vocal leadership role, mentoring teammates and helping hold the team together until his return at the ECAC Conference Championships, where his performance helped propel the team to NCAA qualification.
Throughout it all, Sam led community service initiatives—most notably the annual Canned Food Drive collecting nearly 3,000 pounds of food and a walk supporting the National Eating Disorder Association. In 2024, he received William & Mary Gymnastics’ Rock Award—given to the athlete teammates trust to “show up when things get tough.”
Rooted in Faith, Rising to Serve
Sam’s strength is spiritual as much as physical. His faith, shaped by Pastor Jenny and deepened through personal reflection, has helped him see opportunity in adversity.
“I’ve learned to stay the course and trust God during setbacks,” he says. “There’s growth in the struggle.”
As a double major in kinesiology and psychology, Sam will graduate this spring and hopes to enter a Clinical Nurse Leader program at UVA, JMU, or the University of New Hampshire. Inspired by servant leadership models—like New England Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel’s culture transformation—Sam aspires to lead through relationships, trust, and care.
He speaks with clarity about what integrity means: showing up consistently, doing right even when it’s hard, and staying grounded in values. And he speaks just as passionately about the broader inequities in collegiate athletics. “There used to be over 100 Division 1 men’s gymnastics programs. Now there are fewer than 20. That’s heartbreaking.”
Sam is the kind of leader who inspires without pretense—grounded in humility, grit, and quiet strength. He surfs, fishes, and finds peace in nature. And when asked what he’d change about the world?
“No more fighting,” he says without hesitation. “World peace.”
Congratulations, Sam Smith — your leadership is courageous, compassionate, and worthy of recognition. You are a leader we’d be proud to follow.
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