When senior forward Tiffany Smith worked at Joe’s Sports in Eugene this summer, she found herself defending the attack behind the counter.
“Customers could get pretty angry,” said Smith, who worked about 30 hours a week. “But since I’m a cashier, I had nothing to do with what happened.”
Make no mistake though: Smith poured as much effort into her summer job as she has in four years as a collegiate soccer player.
Her work ethic seems to always pay off, too – Joe’s wants her back, and her Ducks teammates wish she could stay another season.
But Smith will only be around for seven more Pac-10 matches, and she’s hoping for a few more games in the NCAA Tournament, too.
As one of Oregon’s most dangerous – and more silent – weapons in a spread-out Ducks offense, she is now embarking on one final journey, with eyes and heart set on a post-season berth.
Well, and graduating by spring.

Actions speak louder than words

Smith, whose one of two seniors on the team along with defensive anchor Dylann Tharp, doesn’t bark orders at midfielders on the pitch or scold freshmen on the sidelines when they make mistakes.
“She is more the one-on-one type,” teammate Teresa Bowns said. “You can’t expect her to yell at you on the field. She’s more likely to pull you aside and say something.”
Smith’s earned the respect of her teammates by working – constantly.
“I take pride in being a hard worker,” Smith said.
And this year, she wants even more accountability.
“I think being a captain, I’m trying to take a little more responsibility for the offensive side of things,” said Smith, 21, of her role with the Ducks (7-6 overall, 0-2 Pacific-10).

That translates off the field, too. Smith, who normally takes 12 credits, is embarking on a 15-credit schedule chock full of tough classes, including business and economics classes.
“She’s got oldest-child syndrome where she wants to excel in everything she does,” said her mother, Karen Smith.
Tiffany Smith expects to graduate with a degree in psychology and a minor in business this spring.
Like most athletes, she’s found a way to do well in school and soccer: By forgetting she ever had any other interests.
“Basically all I do is study and go to practice,” said Smith, who will be back at Joe’s next term.
Amid her whirlwind of obligations, Smith is trying to take everything in during her final season.
“A week can go by so fast, especially during the Pac-10 season,” Smith said.

Smith’s past

Smith was a member of the Sheldon High School team that won the 2003 state title with a 17-0-2 record. She was named second-team All State and first-team All Midwestern League as a senior.
A year later, Smith played at Portland State University, but 2004 would be her first and last season as a Viking. She followed coach Tara Erickson – who’d spent four years transforming one of the Big Sky’s worst teams into a perennial conference contender – to Eugene.
As a Duck, Smith started in every one of the 19 matches she played in during the 2005 season, when she put 10 shots on goal, recorded one goal and added three assists.
However, Smith missed the first five games of the 2006 season while recovering from right ankle surgery. Once she got back, Smith reinvigorated the squad, scoring three goals, including two game-winners, in the last 15 games of the year.
This spring, she re-aggravated the injury, but did rehabilitation work this summer with strength and condition coach Geoff Ginther.
“It feels good to be playing a full season now,” Smith said.

Two families

Family is the motivation behind much of Smith’s success on the field and in the classroom.
The Smiths have been cheering for years.
Smith’s brother, 13-year-old Emil Smith, wears a bright yellow “Smith #20” T-shirt to games.
Ivy Smith, her 20-year-old sister and roommate, attends games at Papé Field when she’s not working: Ivy went to beauty school in Albany, and works at Mujeres Salon in Eugene.
Smith’s parents, Gary and Karen Smith, intend to travel to the remainder of her matches.
“I think it helps to have them here,” Tiffany Smith said. “I like to play for them and do well for them, as well as for the team and myself.”
The family – especially Mom – tries to make life a little easier on Smith, too. Karen Smith said she’s picked up groceries and even snuck into the apartment do Smith’s laundry.
Smith’s other family is the Ducks.
When the team is not at practice or playing together, they share seats on airplanes and TVs in hotel rooms. When they finally get home, the group goes out for dinner and watches movies together.
During the pre-season, the team checked out “Superbad.”
“We all loved it,” said Smith, whose pre-game ritual is drinking a double shot of coffee before every match. “I want to buy it.”
It’s no surprise, then, that Oregon gets along on the field.
“It is fun playing with her,” Bowns said. “She is pretty inspirational and always gets the team going up top and on offense. She has the experience and everyone looks up to her.”
Smith has tried to impart some friendly advice to two younger teammates, freshmen forwards Jill Jensen and Jen Stoltenberg.
“I’ll remind them not to get too nervous and remember that we are supposed to have fun,” Smith said.
After four years of college – and a summer in retail – Smith’s learning not to take life too seriously.
“It was kind of hard dealing with angry customers,” Smith said. “It was still fun.”
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