Oklahoma State University Athletics
John Smith Remembers Gallagher-Iba Arena
February 07, 2014 | Cowboy Wrestling
Feb. 7, 2014
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith has memories of Gallagher-Iba Arena dating back 38 years. He is in his 23rd year of coaching the Pokes, and has already brought the program five team NCAA championships, 26 individual national champions and 102 All-Americans.
Smith was also a four-year letter winner for the Cowboys, compiling a 152-8-2 record and winning two individual national titles.
After his collegiate career at OSU, Smith won six world titles, including two Olympic gold medals, to become known as one of the greatest wrestlers in the world.
Despite his enormous success as an athlete and a coach inside the walls of Gallagher-Iba Arena, Smith remembers some of his quieter and more personal moments.
On his first experience at Gallagher-Iba Arena
“My first experience in Gallagher was at the age of 10 or 11. I was part of that Monasmith match that a lot of people talk about. I was the towel boy that actually went out and hit the official in the back to notify him time was out. Needless to say, I've got a chance to see that video. I was pretty excited with everyone else. From the time my brother came up in 1976, Gallagher has been a part of my life here. When you think about that, it's been 38 years. Thirty-eight years I've been in and out of Gallagher. For the past 30 of them, I've spent a lot of time in Gallagher. I love every bit of it.”
On being a part of Gallagher-Iba Arena
“When I think of Gallagher-Iba, I think of the responsibility that's been passed down to me through Ed Gallagher and those that followed him. It's a place where history and tradition is a responsibility. It's a responsibility that you embrace and you look forward to each and every day. At times you have to fight for you history, and fight for your tradition. I think that we've had to do it for several years. The reason you fight for it is, this building changes lives. For that reason, it's a great responsibility.”
On what Gallagher-Iba Arena means to him
“I have several wonderful moments in Gallagher. I have a family of five kids with my wife. My boys have literally been raised in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Joseph, my 17-year-old, has probably put as much time in Gallagher as some athletes that work out here every day. That makes it special, because it's been a good place for my kids to be around. It's been a good place for my family to be around. We've had great moments, not only at our wrestling matches but also at our men's and women's basketball programs. We've had great experiences with watching Coach Gundy's football teams over the last eight to 10 years. We've sat inside Gallagher-Iba Arena and watched some great wins that we've all celebrated outside my office window. For my family, growing up around Gallagher-Iba Arena, there is definitely a high standard and you grow up better. There's no question. For that reason, it's a privilege.”
On his memories as a coach
“My favorite memories are in the workout room. There's nothing like a coach watching a motivated athlete who is self-reliant and training on a daily basis. That's what keeps me excited about wrestling. That's what keeps me excited about coaching is watching that on a daily basis. Workouts have been tremendous. I've got so many funny days in the room, where you see some of the craziest things you've ever seen. I can share with you things most people wouldn't look at as funny. But I think if you've wrestled, most people know what I'm talking about, the wars that sometimes go on. I've seen some guys get chased out of the room, up Gallagher-Iba Arena, all the way around it and back into the room. When they finally caught them, needless to say what happened. I love the workout room.”
On his memories as an athlete
“As an athlete, I really discovered myself, and what I was capable of having an opportunity to do, late in the evenings running the stairs in Gallagher Hall, between sections 203 and 204. I climbed up those steps a lot, and for a lot of years— sometimes at 10 at night, and sometimes at 1 in the morning. Every one of those nights, I slipped through the window in the training room on the west side of Gallagher Hall. There were just enough security lights up high that I wasn't running in the complete dark. Those particular sections of stairs I always look at and remember, and they have great memories. It was painful and they were hard, it was hard. A time where I discovered myself and who I wanted to be was those late evenings on those steps for a lot of years. I consider those my steps. I've earned them.
On his most treasured memory
“Probably the most treasured moment is spending time with (Tommy) Chesbro and Joe Seay and my coaches of the past. I had some great leaders. Guys who really cared about me as a person and wanted to see me be a winner on and off the mat. All my coaches—being around former athletes when I was here, Mike Sheets, Kenny Monday, Mark Perry, Clar Anderson and guys like that who really helped me understand the level of person I had to be to do some of the things that they were doing.”
The Cowboy wrestling squad will celebrate 75 years of Gallagher-Iba Arena during Sunday's Bedlam dual at a special timeout.
