Jamie Smith is a superior man and an excellent coach

To the editor:

As the Alaska hockey season starts into full swing, I want to write the article that won’t make the front page: Jamie Smith is a superior man and an excellent coach. \Jamie Smith has contributed more to kids’ lives and does more good for the local youth than all the doubting naysayers who turned their backs on him during his recent indictment. Now that all charges have been dropped against Mr. Smith, charges that were found to be entirely false and filed in an attempt to defame his character, who will mention his achievements?

Jamie Smith gives his time to the community freely, turns boys into men, parents kids who don’t have them and has mentored more young people in the Valley than any coach over the last 20 years. Sadly, this won’t make headlines. Sure, it’s easy to chastise and write berating blogs about a person when they are under public scrutiny, but it takes character to stand by someone and support him in his time of need.

Perhaps the Valley is short on character. Perhaps it’s easy to look for chinks in the armor of one of the most successful coaches in Alaska hockey history. Or perhaps Jamie Smith is just an example of how we should all behave when faced with our own trials and tribulations.

So, let’s not forget that as the Colony Knights, the Alaska Avalanche (Jr. team), and the Career Tech Tigers take to the ice and gym each day, Jamie Smith is doing what he has always done — the right thing.

Gary Howell

Palmer