By Angela Brunk
As senior Kenny Smith enters his final year at Altoona Midway High School, he’s embracing his leadership role on the basketball team. Playing both small forward and shooting guard, Smith is determined to make his last season his best yet.
Smith’s individual goals this year focus on elevating his offensive game by shooting more three-pointers and improving his overall accuracy. For his team, the mission is bigger than basketball: “We want to play like a family and not enemies,” Smith explained, emphasizing unity and teamwork as the keys to success.
For this upcoming season, Smith is looking forward to every challenge, especially matchups against rival schools. He hopes to score at a high level, enjoy the excitement of his senior year, and pave the path for the freshmen athletes.
Smith spent the offseason committed to improving. He attended the JJ Davis Camp, where he developed a deeper understanding of the game and gained valuable insight into his own potential. Since then, he has worked consistently on tennis ball drills he learned at camp, sharpening his ball-handling and coordination.
Last year, Smith’s junior season, his first year ever playing basketball, produced numbers he’s proud of with 22 points, 13 games played, and 5 total rebounds, along with receiving the Most Improved Player award. This season, his goal is to double those stats and continue growing.
Beyond basketball, Smith is active in varsity football, FFA, FCA, dirt bike riding, and plays guitar and drums. After graduation, he plans to serve the community by becoming an EMT, a career he’s passionate about pursuing.
