TFC Athlete Spotlight: Khashami Smith
“I guess it’s genetic. Growing up, my mom played basketball and my dad was an athlete. I always had a ball in my hand,” said Khashahmi “Mimi” Smith, a 21-year-old point guard for the Toccoa Falls College Screaming Eagles Varsity Women’s Basketball team.
Smith has been playing recreational basketball since her third or fourth grade year. She hails from Montrose, Ga., and is currently a senior Counseling Psychology major with a minor in Bible and Theology. This is her second year playing basketball with TFC after transferring from Carver Bible College (Atlanta, Ga.). At CBC, Smith knew “it was time for a change. Carver’s basketball program wasn’t really going anywhere. My roommate was coming to TFC, and she convinced me to come with her… I could learn more here, and I was ready for a challenge.” Both academics and basketball influenced Smith’s decision to make the move. After graduation this spring, she hopes to pursue a master's degree with TFC and become a school counselor. She’s also considering becoming a middle or high school basketball coach. Next year, she will be putting her efforts into practice by stepping into an assistant coaching position with TFC’s women’s basketball team.
Her favorite thing about basketball is the opportunities that it provides, including networking and lasting friendships. However, the sport does not come without its trials. While many people may say that the biggest challenge Smith faces is her shorter height, she believes that not winning is a true obstacle for her due to her highly competitive nature. She can also have a shy personality, which has been tested by the sport. “It has taught me to be vocal. You won’t really get your point across if you’re being quiet, especially to a teammate,” she said.
Smith has been shaped by more than just the game itself at TFC. She credits Women’s Head Basketball Coach Micah Ryals and her teammates as being true sources of encouragement for her. “Even as the Assistant Head Coach, he was supportive and believed in me,” said Smith of her relationship with Ryals last year. “He’s always telling me, ‘these younger girls look up to you,’ and they do. They ask me questions and I try to answer them to the best of my ability.”
She also uses this encouragement as a motivation to keep her skills, character, and relationships in line. Along with her love for the game, she tries to lead by example, motivate, and encourage her teammates. Another motivator for Smith on and off the court is her relationship with God. “He keeps me level-headed when things aren’t going right on the court or in practice,” she said.
Part of her spiritual transformation comes from being in a small group led by Ryals’ wife, Shelby, on Wednesday nights. Although “everybody’s not on the same spiritual level,” their Bible studies and times of fellowship over the last couple of years have helped Smith to “realize my relationship with God and things I’ve slacked off on.”
She’s found that TFC’s basketball program is truly a family. “We really try to build relationships… It’s about putting God first and building that relationship before anything else.” Even when the fans don’t show out at the women’s basketball games, “we’re still a team,” she said. “We motivate each other and give it our all.” The team also bonds simply through travel. Smith said that one of her favorite moments from this season was taking the 8-hour bus rides to and from Florida, because of the memories that were made between herself and the team.
Besides basketball, Smith wants to remind people of their true identity: “Many people let what they do define them. I don’t think basketball defines me. It gave me opportunities and has grown me into the person I am today. It helped me to come out of my shell a lot more. It helped me get to college… You shouldn’t let one thing define who you are as a person. You can always be grateful for it, but there’s more to you than that one thing.”
