Back To Staff Directory
Coaching Staff - Football
Assistant Director of Athletics for Athletic Training/Head Athletic Trainer John Smith
• Past UD Head Athletic Trainers
John Smith begins his 12th year with the University of Delaware athletic training staff and his fifth as the Blue Hens' head athletic trainer for the 2012-13 season.
Smith, who was promoted to the title of Assistant Director of Athletics for Athletic Training in 2011, works extensively with the UD football program as its head trainer and has day-to-day responsibilities at practices and all games.
Smith, who served as an assistant since joining the UD staff in 2001-02, took over the head athletic trainer in 2008 for long-time trainer Keith Handling, who was appointed as a full-time professor in the UD College of Health Sciences.
Smith became just the fourth person to serve as head athletic trainer at Delaware, joining Gus Seaburg (1940-46), Dr. C. Rylander (1946-88), and Handling (1988-2008). Handling served as an assistant head athletic trainer for 36 years.
Smith earned his bachelor's degree in human development in 1988 from Penn State University and his master's degree in physical education from West Virginia University in 1989.
A member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, Eastern Athletic Trainers Association, and Delaware Athletic Trainers Association, Smith worked for three years as a student athletic trainer at Penn State. He began his career as a graduate assistant trainer at West Virginia University in 1988-89.
He served as an athletic trainer at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. from 1989 until 1995, working the Commodore football, basketball, and golf programs. In addition, he served as coordinator of the Vanderbilt University Sports Medicine Student Athletic Training Program.
Smith returned to Penn State in 1995 and served six seasons as assistant trainer, working with the Nittany Lions nationally-ranked women's volleyball, men's basketball, and baseball squads.
A native of Philadelphia, Smith and his wife, Beth, have two children, Meghan and Sean. Beth is an associate professor in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Delaware.
Smith's daughter, Meghan, is a senior at Villanova University and competes for the Wildcat cross country and track & field teams as a distance runner.
Updated 3/15/13
Past University of Delaware Head Athletic Trainers
John Smith (2008-Present)
Keith Handling (1988-2008)
Dr. C. Roy "Doc" Rylander (1953-88)
Edward Bernauer (1952-53)
Gus Seaburg (1946-52)
Past University of Delaware Assistant Athletic Trainers
Erin McLaughlin (2008-Present)
Courtney Butterworth (2005-Present)
Dan Watson (2004-Present)
John Smith (2001-2008)
Jen Grunzweig (1999-2001)
Darryl Conway (1996-97)
Mike Higgins (1995-2004)
Sheila Fees (1989-95)
Tony Decker (1988-95)
Joan Couch (1982-Present)
Nancy Janeway (1980-82)
Susan Ross (1978-80)
Terry Ciofreddi (1974-79)
Keith Handling (1974-1988)
Joe Godek (1970-72)
Dick Leach (1966-70)
Head Coach Dave Brock
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Tim Weaver
Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Sean Devine
Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks John Perry
Receivers Coach Brian Ginn
Cornerbacks Coach Henry Baker
Defensive Quality Control Assistant Brad Hilovsky
Offensive Quality Control Assistant Fritz Stueber
Head Athletic Trainer John Smith
Assistant Athletic Trainer Dan Watson
Director of Football Operations Jerry Oravitz
Personal Development Coach David Baylor
Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine Dr. Andrew Reisman
Sports Medicine Physician Dr. Geoffrey Gustavsen
Back To Staff Directory
