John Smith

John Smith, a 2002 Magnolia graduate, was named to take over the Magnolia High School baseball program following the retirement of the legendary coach Dave Cisar. On Monday, January 24, the Wetzel County board of education unanimously approved Smith as the new head coach at Magnolia High School. Smith was a former standout player for coach Cisar from 1999-2002 and later joined the Blue Eagles coaching staff as an assistant to Cisar from 2014-2018. John also excelled on the football field for the Blue Eagles.

Smith is employed as the FFA teacher at Magnolia High School, and resides in New Martinsville with his wife Ashley and their three children Chance (8), Emery (4), and Ella (2).

John’s coaching experience has been under some of the winningest coaches in the valley and state. He was an assistant in 2008 under another legendary coach Bob Montgomery at John Marshall, 2009-2011 at Cameron High School under Eric James, and assisted coach Cisar from 2014-2018.

Smith was also a high school baseball umpire in 2004-2007, took a break a few years and then returned to umpiring from 2019-2021.

“I am honored to be named the new coach at Magnolia. Magnolia baseball and the discipline that Coach Cisar demanded of us, has played a huge role in the person I have become. The retirement of Coach Cisar has left some shoes that I can’t even begin thinking about being able to fill,” said Smith. “With only 5 returning players, we are going to be young and inexperienced. There is some excitement from new kids coming out, but with that will come a lot of fundamentals that will need to be taught.”

Coach Smith’s said his goal for the program is to be heavily involved with the youth program to help build the program. “It will be nice to see these kids develop from little league to the high school stage. I will be able to work with coaches to develop habits consistent with what we are wanting to see at the high school level,” added Smith. “I really think the future is bright for Magnolia Baseball.”