PSA: I think it’s safe to say we have a Blackfoot High legend in our midst. Tenleigh Smith, the only freshman on the girls basketball varsity team, holds some definite promise (along with the rest of our girls) to take the Lady Broncos clear to State this season.

  Smith is a North Carolina Tar Heels fan, and has been playing basketball basically her whole life. Starting club basketball in kindergarten and competitive ball in fourth grade, she credits her skill to a lot of experience.

  As to why she has stuck to basketball Smith says,

“I really love the feeling basketball gives me when I play it. When you really love something it just takes everything away and you can just focus on it. It brings me a good feeling.”

  Smith has played in national tournaments all over the place, and puts both her mom and Kelsey Plum as her top role models in life.

  There’s been lots of talk that Tenleigh is only on varsity, because of her mom, varsity coach Courtnie Smith. However, these rumors are quickly overshadowed by Tenleigh’s skills on the court.

  “Come watch one game, and watch her play for five minutes and you’ll know she’s earned her right to play on varsity,” Coach Courtnie Smith said.

  Tenleigh is very self conscious like any high school girl, but the weight of her spot on varsity has never affected her.

“I’ve played with a lot of the girls for forever. I see everyone as individuals trying to get better,” she said.

  She has earned her spot, and her teammates agree.

  “If anyone else was the coach, Tenleigh would still be on varsity. She controls the team and controls the tempo. She supports everyone. THAT’S why she’s on varsity. Not because her mom is the coach,” Olivia Arave (11) said.

  Tenleigh says she and her mother keep their home life and team life completely separate.

  “We try to separate it as much as possible. She acts the same at practice with everyone else. There’s no difference. She’s my coach in the gym, she’s my mom away from it. Everything is different.”  

  Tenleigh’s main goal for the season is to end the rough patch our past teams have experienced and hopefully take State. We’d all love that too, girl!