FT. LAUDERDALE, FL — Astronaut Steve Smith has been announced as the Master of Ceremonies for the NCAA Youth Education through Sports (YES) clinic which will be held on Saturday morning, December 6, at the International Swimming Hall of Fame Aquatic Complex. The YES clinic is a regular part of NCAA Championship events and is designed not only to give youths the opportunity to learn from the top NCAA coaches and student athletes in the country, but to also learn about college recruiting, academics and life skills.
Smith was an two-time Academic All-American water polo player at Stanford University and captain of the 1981 NCAA Championship team. In February of 1996, Steve made his second trip into space and performed three space walks to repair the Hubble sattelite. He is a regular speaker at USA Water Polo events.
Smith will speak to clinic attendees about life skills and how his experiences in water polo helped him to achieve his lifelong goal of being an astronaut.
“When I was a kid, I had two goals in life,” Smith said. “They were going to the Olympics and going into space. I didn’t achieve the first, but every step of the way on that journey helped me prepare for and be successful in the second. Kids need to realize that the lessons for success learned in the pool or on the field are equally applicable for success in life. Goal setting, team work, practice, persistence and hard work. But in life it doesn’t matter that you’re five feet tall, you are only limited by your imagination.”
Smith, who stands six feet, three inches tall, knows of what he speaks after having been rejected for the astronaut corps five times before he was finally accepted.