Milford High School English teacher Harry Smith has been named the Eastern Cincinnati Conference Academic Quiz Team Coach of the Year, an honor voted on by fellow coaches across the league.
The recognition comes after Milford’s academic team posted its first winning season in recent years and continued building a reputation for strong sportsmanship and a welcoming competitive environment.
Smith serves as the head coach of Milford’s academic quiz team, an extracurricular activity that challenges students in a fast-paced academic competition similar to a team version of “Jeopardy.”
Teams of four students compete against other schools by answering questions across a wide range of subjects, including literature, math, science, geography, government and economics. While many questions connect to classroom learning, students often study additional material outside of school to prepare for competitions.
This season, Milford finished with a 10-8 record and competed in the ECC championship tournament at Anderson High School. For Smith, the winning season was a milestone for a program that has historically hovered around a .500 record.
The nomination for Coach of the Year came from Little Miami coach Ron Maupin, whose team won the conference championship this season.
According to Smith, the recognition meant a great deal because it came directly from fellow coaches in the league.
“One of the things he mentioned was that whenever teams come to Milford or whenever we go to their schools, our team creates a welcoming environment,” Smith said. “We have fun, but we take it seriously.”
That culture has become a cornerstone of the program Smith has built.
Rather than structuring the team around one standout player, Smith focuses on creating a balanced lineup where students support one another and develop subject specialties.
Players often take responsibility for particular academic categories such as literature, science or geography, studying those topics to help strengthen the team as a whole.
The approach encourages collaboration and ensures every player has a role in competition.
“I ask my students every year how competitive they want to be,” Smith said. “They consistently tell me they want to build a team that’s welcoming and where everyone has a chance to contribute.”
Smith said the emphasis on teamwork has helped foster a positive environment that keeps students coming back each year and often leads them to recruit friends and younger classmates to join the program.
Recruiting new players can be a challenge, but Smith said he looks for students who are naturally curious and eager to learn, not just those who earn high grades.
“It’s the kids who ask questions and want to go find the answer just because they’re curious,” Smith said.
This season’s roster included eight varsity players and the program’s largest junior varsity group yet, with 16 students, many of them freshmen, beginning their academic quiz team experience.
For Smith, the award ultimately reflects the work of the students who helped shape the team’s culture.
“Our goal is that when other teams play Milford, they enjoy the experience,” he said. “If students feel welcome, supported and excited to learn, then we’re doing something right.”