KANSAS CITY, Kan — The College Football championship between TCU and Georgia is here, and while all eyes will be on the players tonight, one Kansas City, Kansas, School administrator says his focus will be on the officiating crew.
Assistant Principal Larry Smith walks the hallways of Central Middle School every weekday, making sure his school and his students are in order.
But once the bell rings, he's making sure rules are being followed on the football field.
"I didn't get into it for the notoriety, I got into it just to kind of hang out with some guys,” Smith said.
When he’s not in school, Smith can be seen officiating D1 football for the Big Ten Conference; a hustle he’s had for the past six years and started after taking a college course on the theory of coaching baseball.
"Being right drives you more than the feeling and fear of failure and I just enjoy being right,” Smith said.
He’s also making history. In 2020, he formed part of the first all Black football officiating crew for the Big Ten.
Most recently, his love of officiating took him down to New Orleans where he officiated the Sugar Bowl; a role sparking the attention of students.
"I have a few students who follow me religiously, they post things about it, but we have to have that separation of school and personal life,” Smith said.
Averaging 20 to 25 D1 and United States Football League games a year, Smith says juggling both roles has its hurdles.
"It's hard back when I was doing arena football, college basketball and college football, my wife and I only saw each other when I was changing suitcases,” Smith said.
But he’s not ready to blow the whistle on his passion, on and off the field.
“I went to school for eight years, I have this position and I'm not going to give it up for officiating,” Smith said.
