Beech Tree News presents: "Bears Spotlight" Parker Smith

Wed, 04/10/2024 - 7:53am — Staff Report

Parker is a 6’3” senior at Butler County High School and is a member of the BCHS cross-country team, indoor track & field team and outdoor track & field team. He is the son of Matthew and Brandie Smith. The Smith family live in northern Butler County.

Parker has participated in organized sports since he was two years old, starting with tiny tot t-ball. He continued to play baseball and Butler County junior pro basketball while also participating on the Morgantown Barracudas swim team through elementary school. He also swam for the BCHS swim team in 7th grade and was a part of three school record relay teams.

Parker discovered his love for running in 4th grade. He has participated in cross country for the past nine years, and track and field for the last seven years. Parker has been an integral part of both teams’ history making seasons.

Parker's sister, Mattie (BCHS 2022), swam for BCHS where she holds eight individual school records and was a member of three relay records for the BCHS swim team. She was also the 2022 regional champion in the 200 yard and 500 yard freestyle events. Mattie currently swims NCAA Division 1 at the University of Southern Indiana and holds the 1000 yard & 1650 yard records for USI. She was named the 2023 Freshman to Watch and the 2023 Female Athlete of the Year.

Parker's Mom, Brandie (BCHS 2002), played soccer on the first ever BCHS co-ed soccer team and was a member of the inaugural Lady Bears soccer team.

Parker's Dad, Matthew Smith (BCHS 1998), played baseball for BCHS and was a member of the BCHS band.

During Parker’s running career at BCHS, he has achieved the following titles and records:

2024 Indoor Track State Champion in 800m

2023 Outdoor Track Regional Champion in 800m

XC All-State Team in 2022, 2023, and 2024

School Record for boys outdoor 800m, 1650m, 3200m and 5K and boys indoor 800m, 1500m, and 3000m and is a member of the indoor & outdoor 4 X 800 and 4 X 400 record-breaking relay teams

Parker was awarded Super Preps Cross-Country Male Athlete of the Year in 2023. He is a member of the 2019 BCHS indoor track & field state champion team, 2021 outdoor track & field regional champion team and a member of the three-peat state qualifying cross-country team. Parker finished seventh at the indoor Track Nationals in the 800m for the 2024 season.

Parker maintains a 4.0 GPA and was a top-ten junior at BCHS. He received academic all-state team honors for cross-country and track from 2020-2024. Parker was a member of the FCCLA parliamentary procedure team that advanced to nationals in 2022. Through the Butler County Tech School Engineering Program, Parker has received his FAA’s Part 107 commercial unmanned pilot’s license.

Parker is a member of the BCHS Choir, FCCLA, BETA, Renaissance Club, Gifted and Talented, and ETS. In his free time, you will find Parker hanging out with his friends at Fortify (his youth group at Crossland Community Church), playing disc golf, pickleball, basketball or traveling.

Parker is a sports announcer for WLBQ radio. In the summer, he works as a lifeguard at the Morgantown City Pool and works for a landscaping business.

Parker will graduate from BCHS in May and has signed to run NCAA Division 1 Cross Country and Track and Field for Western Kentucky University in fall 2024.