Natasha Gabbay ‘10
Staff Writer

On May 13 Staples High School Lacrosse Coach Scott Smith,24, was arrested and charged with a DWI (Driving while intoxicated) by Westport Police and consequently suspended from his coaching duties at Staples. Athletic Director Marty Lisevick declined making any comment on behalf of the school stating it is now a “personnel matter.” Smith’s status as a Staples High school employee is still pending.

According to the Westport News, officers pulled Smith over at 1:10 A.M. after watching him “drive his black BMW at a high rate of speed” and then making a right on red where a sign prohibiting this was clearly posted.

After being pulled over and failing a sobriety test, Smith was brought down to the police station where he refused to take a breath test.

The Wilton Villager also reported once at the station Smith went on a “profanity-laced rampage, ripping up the police report about his DWI, punching the walls, and demanding to know if police ‘knew who he was’ before reminding police that he was the coach at Staples and also of his achievements as an athlete.”

Despite the report of his behavior, Staples lacrosse players still stand by their coach. Sophomore varsity member Jack Ambrose commented that the “captains made a petition that hopefully our administrators will look at, because we feel our coach made a mistake and everyone deserves a second chance.”

Ambrose said that although “it was a shock to the team” because the incident “was one of those freak accidents we weren’t expecting our coach to experience because he is a role model to us,” he still believes that Smith can act as a leader because he “can preach [the repercussions of that behavior] more effectively since he is living through the experience.”

Parents of the players also chose not to comment on the suspension which will be pending through the rest of the year. The verdict on Smith’s position for next year has yet to be disclosed.