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Barta named top coach in nation
By CONOR NICHOLL
Hays Daily News
Roger Barta left Kansas on Jan. 3 with his wife and son for San Antonio. Barta, the head coach for the Smith Center prep football team, was nominated as one of the five national coaches of the year by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl committee.
They arrived in San Antonio about 4 p.m. On the drive to the hotel, Barta received shocking news.
He was named the national high school football coach of the year.
"It was really a surprise," Barta said in a phone interview last week. "It's not about me. I am just happy for the kids, happy for the school and community."
The award punctuated a dominating season for the Smith Center juggernaut and for Barta, 62, the 30-year legendary coach. Smith Center won its fourth straight state title with a 13-0 record, shut out its first 11 teams and outscored opponents 844-20.
Bouyed by Barta's famous wishbone offense, Smith Center scored at least 40 points in every game, averaged 11.5 yards per carry and rushed for nearly 430 yards per game.
Smith Center also outscored Plainville 72-0 in the first quarter in a first-round playoff game and set a national high school record. Barta and the Redmen received national attention for their sportsmanship in the Plainville game.
Barta pulled his starters midway through the first quarter, had his players purposefully run out of bounds and even had Smith Center kick a field goal from first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
The coaching brought ESPN, The New York Times and other media outlets to Smith Center.
"It's been crazy," Barta said. "Yeah, we have (heard from) a lot of people. No one person, just people from across America. People that you wouldn't expect.
"I don't know why it happened, but it did, it was just a media frenzy and then people got involved and you got people from anybody across America and kind of a unique situation. No negative comments either. Everything has been real positive," he added.
The New York Times especially was influential.
"It was a big surprise," Barta said. "I think the article in The New York Times by Joe Drape, that had a big influence on who they picked. I didn't anticipate anything like that."
That helped spearhead the coach of the year award.
"We talked with some people who were affiliated with the program and were impressed with coach Barta," John Schmidt, director of player personnel for the All-American Bowl, said in a phone interview last week. "We read some of his quotes in interviews and we heard that he was genuine and a guy with values and that's what we were looking for.
"The way he handled adverse situations like the Plainville game was really impressive," Schmidt added.
San Antonio was also a unique situation for Barta and his family -- a trip they thoroughly enjoyed.
"It was so well-organized and it was a great event and people were so nice, polite and anything you wanted you got and it was a great experience in my lifetime," he said.
After the announcement, Barta headed to a barbecue on Thursday night with several thousand people. He received his national award at the celebration.
Barta beat out Billy Rolle, the head coach from Northwestern in Miami. Rolle's team was ranked No. 1 in ESPN's national poll all season and played on national television several times.
In addition to Rolle, the other coaches were Lance Bogue from South Panola High School (Miss.), George Quarles of Maryville (Tenn.) and Steve Belles from Hamilton (Ariz.). South Panola was ranked No. 3 in the final ESPN national high school poll and Maryville stood fifth.
Barta was the only coach from a small school and wasn't ranked in any national or regional poll because of Smith Center's size.
"It is the first time in my years here that a small school coach has won the award," Schmidt said.
The next day after arriving in San Antonio, Barta attended a coaches' clinic, went to a hospital where army victims were treated and attended to a banquet where NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers was the main speaker. Barta was asked to stand up and was recognized again as the national coach of the year.
In addition to meeting several coaches and former football players, Barta also met several generals, the hosts of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and the ones who sponsor the national coach of the year award.
"It was really a unique experience and my wife really appreciated it," Barta said. "We got to talk to a lot of coaches from across the nation, basically the coaches and the wives, are all about the same. It was a unique deal.
"I was real impressed with the generals. They were all three-star generals and four-star generals and they are impressive people."
Last Saturday, Barta attended the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in the Alamodome as the last event of the weekend. The game, played on national television, had the top high school players in the country.
"The kids they pick are not only great athletes, but they truly are All-America," Barta said. "They all have the short hair, yes sir, no sir, very polite. They all had great grade point averages and we all involved in community service. The kids were really impressive kids.
"It was just fun," Barta said with a laugh. "It was something."
Just like Smith Center's remarkable season.
Sports reporter Conor Nicholl can be reached at (785) 628-1081 Ext. 127, or at cnicholl@dailynews.net.
