SPORTS

Dale names Frontier's Eric Smith new girls basketball coach

Jacob Unruh

Alva Coach Eric Smith talks to his players during a fourth quarter timeout. Alva Ladybugs defeated the Preston Lady Pirates, 47-42, to win the Class 2A girl's high school state basketball championship in the Jim Norick Arena at State Fair Park on Saturday, March 14, 2015. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Dale High School is turning its girls basketball program over to one of Northwest Oklahoma’s top coaches.

Eric Smith will be the Pirates’ new coach after spending the past three years at Class A Frontier.

“It’s a chance for me to get closer to my family,” said Smith, whose parents live in Weatherford.

Skordle.com first reported Smith’s hiring.

Smith, who won two state titles at Alva, led Frontier to the state tournament the past three seasons. In March, Frontier finished as the Class A state runner-up with a 30-2 record. Frontier returns its entire roster next season, too.

But moving to Dale, a program rich with tradition was too hard to pass up.

Dale made the state tournament three straight seasons from 2015-17. Longtime coach Josh Forsythe resigned following the season.

“It’s Dale,” Smith said. “I think they’ve been in the state tournament quite a few times and they’ve got a great tradition. I’m excited to be down there and hopefully carrying on that tradition.”