CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville-Montgomery County high school student-athletes have a history of being overlooked compared to surrounding counties with larger populations and greater resources. However, in a new age dominated by social media, the playing field is beginning to level.
Former Kenwood High and Austin Peay State University basketball player DeeDee Smith is one of several Montgomery County coaches working to keep local athletes from falling through the cracks. Smith took on his role as Northwest’s head boys’ basketball coach hoping to provide players with the same knowledge that helped make him an attractive Division-I prospect.
“When I was coming up, we were kind of hitting the social media era,” Smith told Clarksville Now. “We had things like Tennessee Prep Hoops, and we played so much basketball that we knew who the guys were. We would go to Nashville and we were connected.”
Smith realized from his own experience how pivotal social media can be in attracting collegiate attention. For Kirkwood head football coach Chad Watson, however, it took leaving Montgomery County to discover what Clarksville was missing.
‘Clarksville being a 45- to 50-minute drive from the airport is kind of a big disadvantage’
After stepping away from his position as Northeast’s head football coach, Watson landed in Gallatin, where he learned a key factor in why Clarksville athletes can fly under the radar: Located nearly an hour from Nashville International Airport, Montgomery County is less accessible for out-of-state recruiters than schools in the Nashville metro area.
“The main thing I learned is that Clarksville being a 45- to 50-minute drive from the airport is kind of a big disadvantage, and I didn’t really realize that until I went to Gallatin,” Watson said. Since returning to Clarksville, Watson has promoted his players as well as anyone in the area. In just three years since Kirkwood’s opening, two of his student-athletes have committed to SEC programs. Kamari Blair committed to Tennessee, while Parker Keenan committed to Arkansas.
The pair became just two of five SEC football commits from Clarksville in more than 25 years. Watson attributed much of that success to social media and the relationships he has built throughout his coaching career.
“Number one is to be honest about your kids because if you’re overselling them, it hurts the trust that you have with college coaches,” Watson said. “Put as much stuff out there as you can. Try to make your kids look as good as they can, put it out early and often.”
New challenge facing Clarksville student-athletes
On the baseball side, few voices carry more weight than Clarksville High head coach Brian Hetland’s. Entering his 16th season leading the Wildcats, Hetland has developed SEC talent of his own, including current Vanderbilt University catcher Korbin Reynolds. Still, he sees a new challenge facing Clarksville athletes.
“I just think it’s a battle for all high school kids right now because of the college transfer portal and the kids that got extra years with the COVID situation,” Hetland said. “It’s made it really hard on high school kids to get opportunities and have as many opportunities as they did 10 years ago. There’s no question about that.”
Even with those challenges, Hetland has continued to find success. That’s one thing all three coaches have in common regardless of sport, background or future plans, and there are many more coaches across Clarksville doing the same.
At the end of the day, Clarksville athletes will continue to face an uphill battle when it comes to gaining attention from college programs. But that’s also what makes this city special. Clarksville has always been a town of underdogs and fighters, and with the right guidance, local athletes continue proving they belong on some of the biggest stages in college athletics.
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