ALTON - Alton High School’s Darrell Smith signed his letter of intent Friday to play football at DuPage Valley Community College.
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Coming back senior year after an injury during his junior year, Smith said he knew he was going to need to work hard to help show what the Redbirds are capable of.
“I knew I had to come back my senior year stronger,“ Smith said. “My dad told used to tell me I was really going to have to work hard, he said I really had to have a super season and I tried to. Coach told me if I wanted to be a leader I need to come to the workouts, so I tried to make it to all the workouts make, tried to make the team proud and show them that I can be a leader.”
Coach Eric Dickerson said it was a great honor to have Smith on the team.
“I’ve had the honor of coaching Darrell for three years now since he started playing for us as a sophomore and it’s been a great pleasure to see him mature, not only as an athlete but as a person,” Dickerson said. “I know he’s excited about the opportunity to play at the next level. There’s no doubt that if he tries and commits himself he will be very successful.”
Smith said he’s excited to see so much support from his family and friends feels like he chose a school that showed him a lot of love.
“I want to study theater,” Smith said. “If football doesn’t ever work, which I’m sure it will because I’m going to work for it, I’d like to make movies so I want to get involved in theater.”
