Jack Smithlin

Jack Smithlin, a legendary North Jersey Hall-of-Fame coach with 40 years of varsity coaching experience in two sports and retired educator, is the new assistant softball coach and hitting instructor for the New Jersey City University softball program, third-year head coach Ashley Martinez has announced. Smithlin, 69, will be the program’s top assistant during the 2021 campaign.

Smithlin, a 2013 inductee into the Fair Lawn High School Athletics Hall of Fame, had a long and successful career coaching at Fair Lawn, Park Ridge and Wood-Ridge, winning the 1996 Bergen County softball title with the Fair Lawn Cutters. He never had a losing season as a coach in the three districts.

“I have known Ashley for some time, and I fell in love with her enthusiasm, her personality and her drive to succeed,” said Smithlin about joining the program. “She is a great person, and this program has some great kids. It will be fun coaching alongside a coach who makes me feel years younger. It is a pleasure to be a part of her program. I am looking forward to making a difference with this program.”

Smithlin spent the 2020 season as an assistant softball coach and hitting coach at Montclair State University, working alongside Red Hawks coach Anita Kubicka.

Martinez said: “Jack has been a tremendous addition to our program. In the short time that he has been with us, he has managed to connect with each player in a deep and meaningful way that goes beyond the game of softball. At NJCU we pride ourselves on contributing to the holistic development of our student athletes. Jack’s knowledge and experience is undeniable. The way he can connect almost any part of the game to the inner workings of life is the highlight. Our team works together to be the best we can. With Jack, we are that, and we are blessed to have him as a Gothic Knight.”

During his storied softball coaching career, Smithlin was named the Group 4 State Coach of the Year, Bergen County Coach of the Year and All-Area Coach of the Year. He earned six Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) citations as Coach of the Year — four times in the Olympic League and twice in the National League. Smithlin has also been honored by various local publications as their Softball Coach of the Year — 4-time Shopper News Coach of the Year, 2-time Herald News Coach of the Year and 1-time Ridgewood News Coach of the Year.

He led his teams to Bergen County, North Bergen Interscholastic Athletic League (NBIAL) and two BCSL Olympic League championships. Smithlin produced a combined 288-103 record in 16 seasons as a high school varsity head coach.

Smithlin began coaching at Fair Lawn in 1986. He coached varsity girls soccer for 13 seasons, leading the Cutters to their first state and county tournaments in their history. He finished his FLHS soccer coaching tenure with a 92-86-11 ledger.

In 1988, he added junior varsity softball coaching duties and led the JV squad for three seasons, guiding the Cutters to two county finals — twice falling to Immaculate Heart Academy. In 1991 he was promoted to varsity head coach and during the next nine seasons, never had a losing season — finishing with a 121-56 record. His teams reached the county and state tournaments eight times and qualified for two Bergen County finals, including the 1996 championship squad which upset IHA, 6-3, when they were ranked No. 1 in the nation. FLHS also reached two state sectional finals, won one league title and finished second four times. Smithlin also served as an assistant boys wrestling coach for several seasons at FLHS.

He later moved to Wood-Ridge and Park Ridge High Schools, coaching seven more seasons on the varsity level.

On the soccer pitch, Smithlin guided his teams to three BCSL Olympic League championships, was voted BCSL Olympic Coach of the Year three times and had a career record of 274-109-18 as a girls soccer coach.

He began his coaching career at Pope Pius XII Regional High School in Passaic, N.J., where he posted a 72-27-8 record in six seasons and won two league championships coaching boys soccer.

Outside of high school and college coaching, Smithlin is a long-time hitting instructor and clinician in the sports of softball and baseball. He has also worked with the Nike Softball Camp as a director and head hitting instructor. He has managed multiple symposiums on Sports Psychology and Sports Parenting. Additionally, he has been a host on WGBB Sports Talk 1240 on Long Island and a guest on WFAN on The Sports Edge, hosted by Rick Wolff.

A 1975 graduate of William Paterson University, he played two seasons of soccer for the Pioneers and served as a kicker on the football team for the late Coach Jack Stephans — a Hall-of-Fame coach at NJCU (then Jersey City State).

Smithlin retired in December 2019 after a 44-year career teaching Physical Education and Health at the high school and middle school levels. He currently serves on the FLHS Hall of Fame Committee alongside Ira Thor — chair of NJCU's Athletics Hall of Fame, former assistant athletic director at NJCU and himself a member of the FLHS Hall of Fame [2010, member of the 1995 boys volleyball team].

He is one of two members of his family inducted into the Fair Lawn Hall of Fame, joining his son Zack (2011 inductee) — a former standout centerfielder for FLHS and Penn State who graduated as the Nittany Lions’ all-time leader in stolen basesand played in the minor leagues, and was all-state for the Cutters in baseball and track and All-County in football. His wife, Sue, was a two-time Bergen County Coach of the Year in gymnastics and their youngest son, Alex, was All County in soccer and All Conference in track and baseball. The Smithlins have one grandchild.