“In the 12 months that my 12 year-old son has worked with him on the sixth grade team, Coach Terry has turned this bunch of boys with varying skill sets into a formidable force on the court.“

Coach Terry quite literally came close to playing professionally, and it shows. In the 12 months that my son has worked with him on the sixth grade team, Terry has turned this bunch of boys with varying skill sets into a formidable force on the court who can out run any team. Coach Terry has taken the boys to a remarkable level of physical condition, and their basketball prowess and connection to one another as team mates has been a wonder to behold. I also want to mention his impressive knowledge and understanding of sports physiology, which makes him an even more outstanding trainer. Terry is a life force of positivity and inspiration who brings high energy and positivity to a rigorous program, and whom the boys do not want to disappoint. All the while, Terry drives home the importance of team work and supporting one another. My last point is that Terry thinks outside of the box in order to keep the boys moving forward, as he did during the pandemic, where they were able to accomplish much of their training regimen via Zoom! My son is in remarkable condition (during a pandemic, no less) and learning what he is capable to achieve — and this has rippled to other areas of his life, particularly school and his pursuit of music. What more could a parent ask for? Happily I can speak for every parent on the team: Coach Terry has won our respect and adoration.

— David Gowing, Sammamish, WA

“What happened from there is pretty remarkable. Terry worked with the existing talent —- which was essentially two skilled seniors -— and very new players to the sport — and took the Portland Waldorf Wolfpack girls team farther into the playoffs than in school history.”

I came to know Terry when he was brought in to take on head coach responsibilities for the Varsity girls program at Portland Waldorf School (PWS) for the 2012-13 season. Our family has been at the school for 12 years, and I myself have spent half of those years working with basketball skills development at the school, as both a parent and a coach. When Terry took over the program, the circumstances were less than ideal, with a small roster and a question mark as to whether sufficient girls would turn out for a full varsity team. He immediately reached out to the broader high school population, and encouraged girls to turn out, learn the sport, and create a team.

What happened from there is pretty remarkable. Terry worked with the existing talent —- which was essentially two skilled seniors -— and very new players to the sport — and took the Portland Waldorf Wolfpack girls team farther into the playoffs than in school history. He acted as coach, teacher, mentor, cheerleader, and organizer all at once. While doing this, he offered his own time to do free drop-in clinics for younger players at the school, he provided strength and conditioning training to the boys varsity and JV players, and ultimately ran several camps for the school, again with large amounts of his own time donated for the cause.

Terry has tremendous knowledge about the sport of basketball, but more than that, he can relate directly to athletes and their needs from a health, conditioning, strength, and physiology standpoint. This is a unique set of talents and traits, not common to youth coaches. I have NHFHS coaching certification myself, and have spent hours with trainers and coaches from around the Northwest, and think that Terry is someone who has the capacity to step in and build a program, or direct it to new places it has not gone before.

— Craig A. Jacobson, Portland, OR

“We are thankful for his time, commitment and dedication… and, more importantly, to the development of the players, not only when they are in the game, but off the court as well.“

Terry coached my son’s Eastlake Select Basketball team. His philosophy and preparation for practices and games have set him apart from any coach we have ever had. The emphasis he places on “sharing the basketball” and defense have improved the players in every phase of the game and have allowed the team to come together. Coach Terry stresses the fundamentals and learning how to play the game the right way, not the easy way. He is tough but fair and he exemplifies the idea that hard work pays off whether in basketball or life. My son broke his arm halfway through the season and was unable to play in games, but he still wanted to practice his skills. Coach Terry made sure that my son still felt that he was part of the team even though he wasn’t actively on the court during games by encouraging him come to practice and giving him drills to work on to improve his dribbling and running endurance. This goes to show that Coach Terry cares about everyone on the team and will always go the extra mile to help.

When my son found out that I was writing a recommendation letter for Coach Terry, he also wanted to write something. In his words: Coach Terry is a coach that embraces and shows that you need hard work to succeed in basketball and in life. I am very thankful for him being my coach because he goes the extra step to help you with the little things. He makes you practice the fundamentals which not only help you but also add up to greater success. I thank Coach Terry for being a great role model and coach.

We are thankful for his time, commitment and dedication to the sport of basketball, his team and, more importantly, to the development of the players, not only when they are in the game but off the court as well.

— Deepika Bhatia, Sammamish, WA

“He emphasized that the kids were a team and they should ‘have each others backs’ at all times so that the trust flowed between them on the court. At the beginning of the season, the boys were individuals. By the end, they were a team.“

Terry was the coach for our son's select Eastlake fifth grade basketball for the 2019-2020 season. From the beginning, Terry emphasized work to achieve results. He inspired them to practice not only the two days each week that were set aside for the team, but also another two days of optional practice, as well as at home. Coach Terry is demanding, expects that each child plays to the best of his ability, and holds him accountable for all of his actions. He also believes in support, trust and loyalty. He emphasized that everyone would play, but not everyone would play the same amount of time. He made them responsible for their own improvement and rewarded those who had obviously worked harder with more playing time. The improvement in each boy's game was significant by the end of the season.

Not only did Terry strive to make the boys better basketball players, he strived to make them a better team. He encouraged them to be friends on and off the court. He had the boys applaud the other kids when they did well and stand up when the kids on the floor needed support and encouragement. He emphasized that the kids were a team and they should "have each others backs" at all times so that the trust flowed between them on the court. At the beginning of the season, the boys were individuals. By the end, they were a team.

— Erin & Trevor Johnson, Redmond, WA

“He is very inspirational — a strong motivator who gets 100% out of the players he coaches and trains.“

I have coached kids sports for over 10 seasons, including basketball and soccer, and my son is a freshman in the Portland Interscholastic League. He has engaged in regular fundamentals training with Terry for more than a year. I believe that Terry is one of the finest coaches I have witnessed at the high school level. He is very knowledgeable about the game, and shares his personal experience in his development as a player. Terry specializes in fundamentals development, such as dribbling, footwork, shooting, use of body, as well as the right physical conditioning for immediate strengthening, stretching and power. In addition, he is very inspirational — a strong motivator who gets 100% out of the players he coaches and trains. I believe that Terry will make a terrific high school coach and, when given the opportunity, will transform the high school program he coaches, maximizing the potential of the players he coaches.

Terry shares his extensive basketball experience and motivates players with success strategies both on and off the court. The boys I know who have been fortunate to have him as a teacher are inspired by him and have quickly improved their game, their confidence and their work ethic. They walk off the court stronger and better after each session with Terry (and exhausted).

— Paul Notti, Portland, OR

“My son has worked with many different coaches and trainers over the years, but there is no doubt that he made his most significant strides with Terry’s guidance.“

My son Jason is a High School Senior, and has worked with Terry on and off throughout his basketball “career”. Jason has worked with many coaches and trainers over the years, but there is no doubt that he made his most significant strides with Terry’s guidance. Jason started working with Terry as a 9th grader in his group workouts, and it was amazing to all of us parents how Terry could push a team of boys in a way that motivated them to reach their potential. The boys all looked up to Terry with incredible respect. He could relate to boys as people, and created an environment that was fun while they were working hard and learning the game of basketball.

Jason has continued to grow and improve, ultimately making First Team All Conference (NWOC) this year and getting significant interest from many of the D2/D3/NAIA schools in the area. Now we are at a cross roads and have come to Terry for help. Jason has decided to attend Oregon State University and study Engineering; basing that decision on scholastics as opposed to selecting one of the schools where he would be guaranteed to play basketball. As fate would have though, Coach Wayne Tinkle at Oregon State has taken an interest in Jason, and has personally invited him to participate in the team workouts this spring, and has encouraged him to try out for the team as a walk-on. Jason has taken this very seriously, and asked if he could have Terry help him prepare for this. We had many options in the Portland area, and Jason wanted the coach that we feel gives him the best chance of reaching his maximum potential and preparing him for this opportunity. That is Terry. From my perspective – I can’t give Terry a strong enough endorsement. Jason has been working out with him twice a week at 6 AM, and again feels the steep improvement climb associated with him.

Terry knows what it takes to contend as an elite college player, and has been in contact with Coach Tinkle on our behalf. This understanding of high level basketball, and the ability to work with a college coach would be a major asset for any high school program with players hoping to compete at the next level.

The bottom line is that Terry is a wonderful coach and can clearly communicate a vision and path for players (and parents) of any age, and can motivate them to reach their goals. He has a passion for the game that is infectious, and a knowledge of the game that players want to soak up.

— Steve Burns, Portland, OR

“Terry brought a unique ability to teach fundamentals while creating team spirit and getting the boys to work together as a unit.“

I have known Terry for the past two years and first got to know him as my son William’s basketball coach at Eastside Preparatory School in Kirkland. Terry brought deep knowledge of basketball (he personally played at a very high level collegiately and beyond) with a unique ability to teach fundamentals while creating team spirit and getting the boys to work together as a unit. He greatly enhancing the conditioning of each player and instilled positive life habits.

Terry is reliable, intelligent, and possesses a depth of educational background that gives him insights into the psychology of motivation. This is a huge skill set for a personal trainer. In essence, Terry is man with genuinely high character and integrity.

— Randall B. Reeves, Redmond, WA

“My child has played basketball, soccer, lacrosse, track & field, volleyball and softball at competitive levels. She is a very competitive player and has had many coaches. She was excited to play basketball with Terry Smith-Harris because he was FUN!“

Terry Smith-Harris teaches his players to have a hard work ethic. He is very focused on the importance of proper exercise conditioning, fundamental basketball skills and advanced basketball skills. He teaches young athletics the skills necessary to be extremely competitive basketball players and he gives them the physical foundation their bodies require for the demands on the basketball court. As a parent, I was impressed with the attention to conditioning exercises, basketball fundamentals and advanced basketball skills the players learned. Terry Smith-Harris is very good at coaching groups of children with diverse skills. He teaches each individual child and encourages them to excel. He coaches the group to play at higher level of basketball they have played before. I have been impressed with his professionalism to both players and parents.

My child has played basketball, soccer, lacrosse, track & field, volleyball and softball at competitive levels. She is a very competitive player and has had many coaches. She was excited to play basketball with Terry Smith-Harris because he was FUN! We have recommended Terry Smith-Harris’ basketball programs & teams to our basketball playing friends. We believe Terry Smith-Harris is an amazing basketball coach!

— Sandra Hughes, West Linn, OR

“Most impressive to us is his ability to communicate with his athletes in a way that is both precise and understandable.“

Very rarely in life, one encounters a person with a level of knowledge, dedication, integrity and interpersonal skills such as we have found in Terry Smith-Harris. Attributes such as these are welcome independently but when all are found in a single individual, outstanding results are inevitable. Once again, our expectations were surpassed. His ability to lead, teach and unite a team over the course of a season was outstanding. Discipline was delivered in a fair and positive manner. Players joined the team with quite varied levels of experience but all clearly advanced in both skill and confidence.

His background includes participation in high level competitive basketball and an education in sports physiology. Training sessions always include game skills and intense conditioning, but also seamlessly integrate instruction in body mechanics, injury prevention and recovery. His standard training folder, given to each player, includes information on anatomy and physiology, with an expectation that his players will study the information.

Most impressive to us is his ability to communicate with his athletes in a way that is both precise and understandable. He demands a high standard of play and of integrity from both himself and his players. He has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to foster a high level of dedication to the game of basketball.

— Robert and Heidi Saldivar

“But more than his obvious basketball knowledge and experience, Terry is an extraordinary teacher and motivator.“

I really appreciate his holistic commitment to the game of basketball. He combines a strict knowledge of the fundamentals, understanding of the physiology, strong technical skills, rigorous athletic conditioning with a detailed game strategy.

But more than his obvious basketball knowledge and experience, Terry is an extraordinary teacher and motivator.

— Scott and Jennifer Ericson, Lake Oswego, OR

“I believe the true test of a coach is the ability to motivate and teach those who possess little to average ability, not those few whose talent comes easily.“

Terry Smith-Harris served as my daughter’s high school basketball coach. My daughter joined the team as a junior and had never previously played basketball. The entire team was comprised of 2 very good players, 1 moderately good player and 2 very inexperienced players. Terry was able to guide my daughter in the basics, and she played as a varsity starter in her first season. I believe the true test of a coach is the ability to motivate and teach those who possess little to average ability, not those few whose talent comes easily.

— Parent, Portland, OR

“My daughter was so impressed with Terry’s personality and coaching style that she chose him as one of three persons to feature in her final senior project. Her project is to highlight a very select number of persons whose passion was so evident that their passion had a direct and positive impact on her life.“

Terry was a particularly successful coach because he always managed to motivate and stay positive, even when he had very little to work with. He was able to get the girls to do what he needed because: 1) he was always so positive, 2) they liked him as a person, and 3) they truly didn’t want to let him down.

The personal fitness regimen that he implemented was quite impressive, with the team easily outperforming and outlasting more experienced and more talented teams. The regimen was actually less time consuming than other workouts they had practiced with other coaches, but the team felt that they were in the best shape that they had ever been in.

Terry was always available to members of the team, and he put in many more hours and made himself much more accessible than any other coach my daughter had worked with in the past. My daughter was so impressed with Terry’s personality and coaching style that she chose him as one of three persons to feature in her final senior project. Her project is to highlight a very select number of persons whose passion was so evident that their passion had a direct and positive impact on her life.

By demonstrating dedication and passion, Terry showed my daughter how to successfully motivate others and how to attain a goal that others would say was unachievable.

— Jillian Avery, Milwaukie, OR

“It is a breath of fresh air to have a coach that is committed to not only improve the children as athletes, but also to teach them important life lessons that will be invaluable in the future when they become men.“

My son Thomas is on the 7th grade basketball team. I wanted to send you a short note to recognize the fantastic work that Coach Terry Smith-Harris has been doing since he joined the Riverdale Basketball program. We have lived in different places around the world and Thomas has been coached in multiple sports — and Coach Terry is by far the best coach that we have seen. The positive impact he has had on Thomas’s approach and attitude to the game has been excellent.

I have witnessed his coaching sessions — which are outstanding — and this evening we saw the first game for the team and it was really great to watch his relentless enthusiasm and support for all of the players. It is a breath of fresh air to have a coach that is committed to not only improve the children as athletes, but also to teach them important life lessons that will be invaluable in the future when they become men. Coach Terry personifies the values which were instrumental in us choosing Riverdale for our children’s education.  

We felt it was important to share the positive impact that Coach Terry has had in the short time since he joined the program.

— Mr. Giblin, Portland, OR

“He invests heavily in the players and expects 100% from them both on and off the court with emphasis on school as well as respect and gratitude to parents.”

We have had our high school junior son Everett working with and playing for Terry nearly year-round for over 5 years. Terry’s focus on basketball fundamentals and overall physical fitness is top notch. I have been present during the majority of the practice sessions and have witnessed his coaching first hand. He works well with all of his players, pushing them at their individual level to be their best. His coaching reinforces and develops the players strengths while helping the players identify and work through their opportunities for growth. He invests heavily in the players and expects 100% from them both on and off the court with emphasis on school as well as respect and gratitude to parents. It has been a remarkable experience watching our son and his teammates grow consistently with Terry’s guidance.

— Peter Coonradt, Portland, OR