Three time Suburban League champion. 2014 Revere Athletic Hall of Fame Greater inductee. Akron Basketball Coaches Association inductee. Contributor to the Revere community for over fifty years this legendary basketball coach still continues to serve the Revere community off the court.

Longtime coach Al Smesko taught Physical Education and Language Arts during his first year at the Revere Local School District, and he also began to serve as an assistant football coach. Smesko coached the seventh and eighth grade boys basketball team for six years. Then deciding to focus on basketball he started coaching the JV basketball team also helping with the boys track team. In 1969 Smesko emerged as the Varsity boys basketball coach, where he led Revere to three Suburban League Championships over 14 years. Currently, Smesko volunteers to run the clock at most of Revere’s sporting events. Smesko runs clock for all high school boys basketball teams. In addition he runs the clock for JV and Varsity girls basketball and lacrosse, and 7th grade through Varsity football.

Smesko explained how he first started getting involved in volunteering at Revere’s athletic events.

“My love of the athletics and being associated with the school and the kids, living in the township too,” Smesko said.

Smesko also volunteers at the Bath Fire Department. Smesko discussed how he first got involved with the department.

“1964 is when I applied to be a member of the Bath Fire Department. There were already in [the] high school, three teachers that were members. As a result, they more or less coaxed me into joining the department, which I did and am still a member,” Smesko said.

Bath Fire Chief Walt Hower, who has been working at the department since 2012, voiced his opinion of Smesko.

“[Smesko is a] fun, knowledgeable and overall great person to know,” Hower said.

Through his long coaching career a few moments stood out to Smesko as being very memorable. Smesko expressed how honored he was after getting inducted into to the Greater Akron Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and what led to his 1973 Suburban League Title.

“As a coach, winning my first Suburban League basketball championship in 1972-73. I had a good group of kids,” Smesko said.

Bill Schumacher, former Athletic Director at RHS, mentioned how important Smesko has been for games, and the dedication he shows towards his volunteering.

“It is important to share how important Al and other game workers are for the contests to occur. I can count on one hand the number of games [Smesko] missed in my 5 years [at Revere] and have a couple of fingers left,” Schumacher said.

In addition to the work he has done with kids in sports, he helps as a teacher in the classroom too. He described his favorite memory from when he was a teacher.

“[In] my English class I had a group of seniors. The kids that would go up to Brecksville Vocational School. They gave me the classes that those kids were to be in and I enjoyed being with those seniors. They did not have the ambition of going onto college. As a result I felt that my practical background was valuable to them to let them know what they’re going to experience once they get out of high school. [Helped the seniors] stay out of trouble, get a good job, find a good girl, get married, and live a decent life,” Smesko said.

Smesko continues to run the clock at the majority of Revere’s sporting events while staying involved with the Bath Fire Department.