Shane Smith has pitched his way to Russell Sage College

Over the next few weeks, Shane Smith will finish out his summer at the Cortland WalMart, where he has been working since he graduated from Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) this past May, but then he will be heading to Russell Sage College in Troy, New York, just north of Albany,  to continue pursuing the baseball dream that has been his for as long as he can remember.  

Shane was born and raised in Groton and is the son of Mike and Denise Smith and the brother of Kyle and Brittany Parr.   

Denise, who is the deputy clerk for the Town of Groton, said the siblings have always been close, despite the fact that Kyle and Brittany are 14 and 12 years older than Shane, respectively. All three are Groton Jr./Sr. High School (GHS) alumni, and Mike is a 1983 alumnus of GHS himself. 

When Shane was growing up, he started right out playing tee-ball with the Groton Recreation program, and moved through the ranks to play baseball when he was old enough. When it wasn’t baseball season, Shane played youth football and wrestled with the youth wrestling program.  

Once Shane was in high school, he traded football for soccer instead, but always continued wrestling and most assuredly baseball! During his middle school years, Shane began playing baseball on summer travel teams from Groton, Cortland, and Ithaca. He played as much and as often as he could.  

“Since I was very young, I always loved baseball”, Shane said. “It just clicked with me. I always wanted to play no matter what season it was. I would go out and just hit or catch whenever I could.” 

During his time in youth sports, Shane was primarily a catcher, or else a second or third baseman. He also did some pitching back then and for the summer teams, but once he got to the high school level, he pretty solidly played second base.  

“I moved up to junior varsity when I was in ninth grade, and then varsity from tenth to twelfth grade”, Shane said. “I was always trying to push myself to the next level by playing with older people and having them help me push myself even harder. Wrestling also really helped me to push myself harder and stay in shape and develop endurance. It helped me a lot with baseball.” 

During his high school career, Shane earned Most Valuable Player twice and was a first-team all-star in his junior year.   

Shane credits his coaches from GHS, Justin Albro and Cody Cosby, for showing him “the right way to do things and how to stay strong and healthy to be able to pursue a baseball career.” 

A career in baseball was clearly Shane’s goal and he determined early on that he would go to college to play baseball with his sights set on an ultimate goal of making it to a professional level.  

Shane is a GHS 2020 alumnus, which made for an interesting and challenging second half of his senior year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  

“It was a weird senior year”, Shane said. “There was no baseball due to Covid. I tried to go to the gym as much as I could once they were open. I would lift weights every day, and sometimes just go fishing!” 

Shane added that he has enjoyed fishing his entire life, and has also gone hunting with his dad, Mike, and Mike’s friends since Shane was 14.  

As Shane considered his future, he opted to study sports management as his college major. He applied and was accepted by West Virginia University, but then was recruited to play baseball for the TC3 Panthers.  

At TC3, Shane started out playing second base, along with some catching, but by his second year, the catching piece was replaced by pitching.  

“I started at TC3 in fall 2020”, Shane said, “but because of Covid, they added an extra year of eligibility, so that stretched out my studies and I became the pitcher for the Panthers in my third year. I graduated this past May, and this summer I was invited to play with the Syracuse Spartans New York Baseball League as a pitcher.” 

Shane knew he needed and wanted to pursue earning his bachelor’s degree in sports management but wasn’t sure where he should go for that. His Panthers coach, James Williamson, suggested Russell Sage, and because Williamson knew the coach there, he called him and “put in a good word” for Shane.  

“From there, I went and visited Russell Sage and was offered a spot on the team – the Russell Sage Gators”, Shane said.  

Shane still has his sights set on playing for Major League Baseball (MLB), but his fallback plan if he doesn’t make it as a player is to use his degree to either coach or manage a high school or college team, and still work his way up to the MLB – one way or another.  

“I’m excited to see what the future holds and I hope all my dreams come true”, Shane said. “I wouldn’t be in the place I am right now if it weren’t for my parents pushing me to be a better person and a better player and taking me to all those games and practices through the years.” 

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.  

In brief: 

Congratulations Groton Community Cupboard! 

For those who may not have heard, the former Groton Food Providers/Groton Food Pantry has changed its name and is now Groton Community Cupboard (GCC).  

Just recently, the GCC received a $2,000 grant from Upstate Shredding’s CNY Tuesdays – with thanks to all who voted for them to receive this award. 

The GCC is still working on establishing its new location at this time, but Jean Wannall is the new coordinator. Contact information is: grotoncommunitycupboard@gmail.com, (607) 427-4273, or (607) 382-4581 (Jean – for emergency only). 

GCC hours – still at the Joyce Crouch Benevolence Building, 701 S. Main St. – are Sundays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays 12:30 to 1 p.m. for those needing assistance, Mondays 1 to 3:30 p.m. for everyone else, or Thursdays 5 to 6 p.m. 

Deliveries are suspended at this time. Patrons are encouraged to ask family, friends, or neighbors to help pick up their food during regular pantry hours.  

VBS at Groton Assembly of God 

Come one, come all, for this year’s “Keepers of the Kingdom” Vacation Bible School at Groton Assembly of God, 701 S. Main St.! Prepare for castles, knights, swords, and armor! There will be a “knightly” program from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6 through Thursday, Aug. 10. Open to those just entering first grade through those who recently graduated from seventh.  

Groton Town Clerk – new office hours 

The Groton Town Clerk office hours have recently changed. The new hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday or 8 a.m. to 12 noon Wednesdays and Fridays. The drop box is located next to the Town Clerk front entrance on Conger Blvd.