Smith Remembers Supporting Pancoast When Others Didn't
by John Shearer
posted March 28, 2008
In the fall of 1978, standout Vanderbilt University linebacker and McCallie School graduate Ed Smith came to the support of his ousted coach, Fred Pancoast.
Coach Pancoast, who had been an assistant coach at schools such as Florida and Georgia and a successful head coach at Memphis, had enjoyed a 7-4 record and a rare Commodore victory over Tennessee during his first season in 1975.
However, three straight 2-9 seasons followed and school officials decided to replace him.
Mr. Smith, in an unusual and mature display of loyalty, met with school administrators in an effort to encourage them to retain Coach Pancoast. The gesture drew a big story on the Chattanooga sports page at the time.
“I just stood up for him,” recalled Mr. Smith, who lives on Signal Mountain.
Three decades have passed, but recently someone else also stood up for the former coach – President George W. Bush.
On March 11, while in Nashville, President Bush presented the former coach with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work with the Operation Stand Down program that aids homeless veterans with job training and assistance.
The award had come out of the president’s post-9-11 USA Freedom Corps program, which called on Americans to serve a cause greater than individual achievement.
Within the Corps is the Greeter Program, in which President Bush recognizes nominated volunteers, such as Mr. Pancoast, during his visits to various cities.
Mr. Pancoast has also been recognized for his work with the veteran mentor program for at-risk youth as well as his work with the Room in the Inn homeless shelter and various alcohol and drug treatment centers.
Although Mr. Smith said he lost contact with his former coach over the years, he has not lost his positive feelings.
“It is a great honor and he deserves it,” said Mr. Smith, who operates HES Construction and Development. “I am sure he is touching a lot of people’s lives.”
Mr. Smith – who blossomed into such an outstanding defensive player at Vanderbilt that he was nicknamed “Sheriff’ – remembered that Coach Pancoast showed a lot of character during those challenging days at Vanderbilt.
“Those were tough years,” he said. “But I never saw him lose his cool. He would always be a gentleman and I don’t think he ever blamed the players.”
Mr. Smith admitted that Coach Pancoast was probably too nice a person to be a head coach.
“He was a people person,” said Mr. Smith, who went on to play football professionally. “It is hard being a head coach if you like people.”
Although long-term success was not to come in football, it would for Coach Pancoast in his later endeavors.
After picking up the pieces from his disappointment at Vanderbilt, he first served as a human resources director for a large manufacturing company before founding Pancoast & Associates in 1985 to provide benefit plan marketing and consulting for major employers nationwide.
This man whose father was killed in World War II shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor has also not let running a business keep him from doing a little altruism on the side, as President Bush noted.
Despite virtually no contact with his former coach since about five years after leaving Vanderbilt, Mr. Smith had been aware of all the people Mr. Pancoast has helped.
For example, a Commodore teammate later struggled with alcohol abuse, Mr. Smith said, and Coach Pancoast helped him fight the disease and get his life back together.
With the recent recognition by President Bush, plenty of others are now aware of his work as well.
“I think it is awesome,” said Mr. Smith. “I am so proud of him.”
Jcshearer2@comcast.net
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