Greg’s Got His Head in the Game

Dribbling down the court with his eyes on the basket and the sound of Red Tide erupting behind him, PVHS senior Greg Smart knew that starting in last year’s PV versus Peninsula basketball game would soon be his favorite memory of playing for the PV High team to date. 

Even at five years old, when he first began playing the sport, Greg’s skill and passion for basketball dominated every other sport his mom signed him up for. 

With every basket he swooshed and each new teammate turned friend, Greg soon realized that basketball would forever be a part of him. 

“It was the sport I was the best at and I easily had the most fun playing basketball, that’s why I’ve continued playing every year since,” Greg said. 

This year he approaches the court as a point guard on PV’s varsity team and he looks forward to building new relationships with his fellow teammates, just as he has with each team member he’s previously played alongside. 

“The camaraderie the team establishes is one of my favorite parts of playing,” Smart stated. 

“This year especially, we all have the same goal: work and win.”

And it’s this goal that continues to drive Greg and his teammates to play their best at each practice and game. 

Greg gets his head in the game by listening to his pregame playlist which consists of both Christian and hip hop music. 

“I also take time to pray before we leave the locker room,” he said. 

One of Greg’s most prominent motivations is the crowd of PV High basketball lovers and families that show up to support at each game. 

 And Greg happens to be a fan favorite amongst Red Tide, who chants his name quite frequently throughout every quarter. 

“My favorite player is obviously Greg, I scream in the stands for him,” sophomore Mia Dellovade said. 

The biggest reason why Greg is such an important member of the team is the amount of appreciation he has for both his ability to play the sport and for the people he plays it with.