If you've ever been to a high school track meet in Arizona, you probably know that voice.
The voice belonged to Ron Smith, a longtime track and field announcer who has been calling events for 31 years. During that time, Smith became the sport's leading spokesperson in the state.
“Ron being there definitely sets the tone for the race environment,” said Nate Pestka. “They don't just bring Ron Smith out to a game. It's a big encounter. It motivates you.”
Pestka won two Arizona Interscholastic Association Division III state titles in track and field in 2022 as a senior at Phoenix Shadow Mountain. Smith coached there with Pestka's father, Greg. He currently competes at his community college, Paradise Valley, where he most recently won the 2023 National Junior College Championships in cross country. There's probably no runner in Arizona that knows Smith that well. Smith was at the hospital the day Pestka was born.
Smith's journey began in the early 1970s, when he himself was a track and field athlete while attending Paradise Valley High School.
As a high school student, he thought this sport might replace him. Smith attended NAU, majoring in physical education and minoring in language and communications, but then ran into trouble in the classroom. It was a decisive moment.
“My first year of college, I came home with a 1.9 grade point average,” Smith said. “I was on probation at NAU. I was on probation with my mom and dad. I had to really rebuild my life and the last few years of college. When I thought that track might be my motivation for the rest of my life, I just grabbed it and wouldn't let go.''
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That grasp has remained strong ever since.
He took his first few announcing jobs as a hobby. Now, that's what he's known for in Arizona.
Mr. Smith does get paid, but that's far down the list of reasons to keep him going. He typically breaks even every season.
“I’m a huge fan of kids and a huge fan of this sport,” Smith said. “Athletics and cross country have given me such a wonderful life, including indirectly meeting my wife. It still causes quite a bit of vertigo in my step. I feel like I can give back to the sport. I always tell people that this movie opened a lot of doors for me and the people I met through it. “I can't thank you enough for what you've allowed me to do.'' I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be, where I'm meant to be. ”
He paid for the latest microphone technology out of his own pocket. Smith's $600 Electro-Voice wireless microphone has become a reliable source. He carries an outdoor audio system that weighs over 100 pounds to cross country meets.
Smith slept in the bed of his truck under the stadium bleachers just to announce the University of Arizona athletics tournament until legendary former head coach Dave Murray found out. .
“That's because I couldn't wait to be a track and field announcer,” Smith said. “I couldn't wait to go to the track meet and be given such a nice assignment. When he (Murray) found out, he said, 'Why didn't you ask me for a hotel room?' Told. I said, “I didn't want to be presumptuous.'' That's my humble beginning. All I cared about was that I was crazy about this sport and someone gave me a front row seat. ”
Smith competes in about 35 meets each outdoor season and will announce a cross country meet in the fall. Chandler girls track and field coach Eric Richardson said he is headlining the Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational, which is the third largest high school-only tournament in the nation.
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Richardson, who won 14 state championships with Chandler, has known Smith for 20 years. The two first met when Smith was still the track coach at Shadow Mountain, before Smith transitioned to being a full-time announcer.
“He's the Michael Buffer of track fans,” Richardson said. “He's extremely well-educated about the sport itself. His research is ridiculous when it comes to kids. He's probably one of the best-prepared players I've ever met other than a coach. Probably alone.”
Since taking over as Chandler Rotary's announcer, Smith has become synonymous with the state's premier tournament this season. This meet is circled on the calendars of athletes across the state as the most competitive regular season meet of the year.
Richardson can't imagine playing without Smith.
“I'm trying to imagine that one day a tournament this big will be held without him. It won't be the same. It won't have the same impact. An encounter is an encounter. But he's excited about it. It's growing and he was one of the focal points of why it grew the way it did,” Richardson said.
Desert Vista cross country coach Chris Hanson, who won 11 state titles for boys and three for girls during his time at the school, met Smith about 25 years ago. Hanson, a former track and field coach and current volunteer, has won a total of seven state titles in track and field.
During that time, he got to know Smith.
“We call him Velvet Voice,” Hanson said. “He's a great announcer. The real thing that makes him a good guy is that he knows what he's saying, not just how good he sounds. He studies kids. If he had something like that, he would be the perfect track scout. He could tell where the kids were, how far they jumped, things like that. He's a walking encyclopedia. He's known out-of-state kids. He's been more than that.”
In addition to competing at the high school level, Smith announced commitments to Arizona, ASU and NAU. He also presents on other sports. And it's not just locally that Smith has received recognition.
The Nike Cross Regionals Southwest Race is a qualifier for the National Cross Country Championships in Oregon and a postseason competition sponsored by the sports branding company held each November in Arizona. Smith is holding the microphone.
“When they want the best, they call Ron,” Hanson said. “That's not to disrespect anyone else. There are others that are good. But there's no one who has the history, the tradition, all of that as solid as Ron.”
As Pestka said, “He creates an authentic environment every time.”
He has a 12-page cheat sheet he calls his “Bible” and updates it every Monday morning over coffee.
It's all for the love of sports and athletes.
Smith recently celebrated his 70th birthday. Now, all these years later, including countless hours held all day long under the hot Arizona sun, he's one of the lucky ones.
“I've been doing this for a long time and I still pinch myself,” Smith said. “I can't believe that life has led me to the track and to a place where I feel so lucky. I'm still overwhelmed by it.”
His legacy will be immortalized in the running community here. At most competitions, it is common to see athletes requesting photos from Smith. Some people ask for their medals to be autographed.
Athletes get excited when they go to the stadium and hear Smith's voice.
“It's pretty cool to have Ron,” Pestka said. “I think Ron is probably the best announcer I've ever seen. He's influenced generations of track and field athletes, from when my dad was a student to today. , his name is very well known. He brought a special light to Arizona sports in the way he highlighted Arizona track, and from what I've seen, all the kids. I always look forward to seeing him. A lot of kids and athletes really look up to him.”
