Smith’s Heart Never Left California

Standing at the airport ready to board a plane that would take him away from the place he called home seemingly forever, a somber Ryan Smith waved goodbye to his friends.

He was 16 and crying. He had lived in Thousand Oaks for nine years. He was a gifted three-sport athlete at Thousand Oaks High. He didn’t want to leave the Conejo Valley and abandon his friends, but he had no choice. His father’s new job was in Dallas, and the family couldn’t stay behind.

The moving van had come and gone. Smith was about to head off to a new state, a new school and a new community in which he knew no one.

“It was tough,” he said in a telephone interview from Texas. “My friends were with me at the airport. I guess it all hit me. I was leaving and starting over. I didn’t know what to expect.”

Much has happened since Smith boarded that plane to Dallas in the summer of 1996.

Smith became a high school football star, playing wide receiver for 1997 state 5-A champion Marcus High in Flower Mound, Texas. He made the all-state team last season after catching 57 passes for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. He is a top center fielder for the baseball team. And he has picked up a Southern accent.

“Football is so big here it’s unreal,” he said.

He has played three times at Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. He has played at the Cotton Bowl and the Astrodome. He has played in front of more than 20,000 screaming fans.

“Every game is unbelievable,” he said. “The town shuts down and everybody watches football on Friday night.”

He has come to appreciate his new home, humidity and all. But he never forgot the most enjoyable days of his life, growing up in the Valley, playing Little League baseball and travel basketball, body-boarding at the beach, hanging out with friends.

Last weekend, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound Smith was offered a football scholarship to UCLA and quickly accepted.

He’s coming home. He’s fulfilling a childhood fantasy.

“I’ve always dreamed of going there since I was little,” he said. “My dad has always been a big John Wooden fan. I just loved to watch guys like Reggie Miller.”

He has been friends since the sixth grade with Jennifer Donahue, youngest daughter of Terry Donahue, former UCLA football coach. They talked on the phone every month after Smith left for Dallas.

Baylor, Texas A&M;, Oklahoma and Memphis wanted him to commit for football. They didn’t have a chance. He has a Texas address but his heart is still in Los Angeles.

“Moving back won’t be as hard,” he said.

Smith said high school football is stronger in Texas, but there’s no comparison when it comes to high school baseball.

“Southern California has the best baseball I’ve ever seen,” he said.

He’s looking forward to renewing friendships and testing his driving skills, too.

“People are definitely better drivers in Texas than Los Angeles,” he said.

As for how long it will take for him to lose his distinctive accent, Smith said, “It’s the teachers. You’re around them and hear them talking all the time and it gets in the head.”

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Campbell Hall in North Hollywood will be getting perhaps the region’s best eighth-grade boys’ basketball player, 6-2 Derrick Williams. He already attends the school. . . .

Alex Perez, former El Camino Real linebacker, started seven games as a freshman for Columbia University’s junior varsity football team. . . .

J.T. Stotts, freshman shortstop at Cal State Northridge, should be called Wonder Boy. He’s going to make defensive plays this season that leave fans in awe.

Opposing college coaches will be kicking themselves for not landing Stotts out of Hart High. . . .

Tommy Perez, former Burroughs infielder, is set to start as a freshman at Loyola Marymount. . . .

Bill Scott, former Alemany outfielder who is a sophomore at UCLA, had two hits in his season debut Friday, a 3-0 loss to Hawaii. . . .

The best small-school athlete in the region might be sophomore Colin Ward-Henniger of Buckley. He’s averaging 15.8 points in basketball and batted better than .500 as a freshman shortstop. . . .

Baseball Coach Bill Sizemore of Thousand Oaks, on junior pitcher Chris Cordeiro: “He’s awesome. He’s a legitimate prospect, and not just for college.” . . .

Chris Martinez of Chaminade has left for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, leaving junior Mark McCauley of Crescenta Valley as the region’s best second baseman. Coach Phil Torres is predicting, “[McCauley] will start his freshman year in college somewhere.” . . .

Jim Fenwick, former Northridge football coach who is offensive coordinator at New Mexico, is trying to persuade Ted Iacenda, former Hart and USC running back, to transfer to Albuquerque. . . .

Basketball players Jaline Bradley of Channel Islands and Damaris Hinojosa of Moorpark will make their college debuts next season on opposing sides, when UCLA plays at Pepperdine on Nov. 20.

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Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422.