(not exactly live) 5 at 5 p.m.: Head Men's Basketball Coach David Smith

In his 21st season as head coach of the Monarch men's basketball program, David Smith this year led the Monarchs to their first USA South Athletic Conference tournament championship and NCAA Division III tournament appearance – the program's third national appearance under Smith's guidance – since the 2004-05 season.

The two-time USA South coach of the year gives us answers to our five burning questions:

What led to you becoming a coach and what brought you to Methodist?

When I got back from playing overseas in England, I took a job at South View (N.C.) High School and caught the bug coaching under Gene Brewer in football and Ron Miller in basketball. 

I am an MU alum and was ready to make a move from high school coaching. (Methodist head coach) Bob McEvoy brought me out here to help him and the rest is history.

What are the takeaways from what you saw from your team this season?

I saw such growth in the team from the 2018-19 year to the 2019-20 team. They stuck together through it all and taught me about patience and trust.

What is the hardest skill/ability to coach?

The hardest thing a coach has to do is coach effort. It is really frustrating when you have to do that. It is a rare thing, but really rewarding when the light goes on for a player.

What is the biggest thing that you tell your players to work on in the offseason?

This offseason is totally different because players are stuck at home, but in a normal year, I will tell my guys to fall in love with the weight room and to play against the best competition you can find.

What does it mean to you to be a coach at Methodist University?

Being the coach at Methodist University has been a dream that I would not have envisioned when I first started coaching. It is with a great sense of pride that people recognize the wonderful school we have here in Fayetteville, and the program we have built in athletics, and in particular, basketball.