PEMBROKE — Mike Smith has been named as Purnell Swett’s girls basketball head coach after Robert McLean stepped down from the role after one season.

McLean will remain the school’s athletic director.

“New opportunity, new challenge; especially for the kids,” Smith said. “They get to learn about themselves. They don’t know who they are yet, so teaching them how I got to where I’m at, about professionalism, discipline, listening, it gives you further opportunity. With this position I’m in, I’m able to see what’s next.”

Smith, 30, has been an assistant boys basketball coach at the school for the last three years, with one season as a volunteer assistant and the last two as a full-fledged assistant and a teacher at the school. He is also an assistant football coach for the Rams.

“Things just started falling into place when I got to Purnell (Swett),” Smith said. “My life got deeper, got bigger, I met a lot more people in the community, and it just worked out.”

Smith played men’s basketball at UNC Pembroke from 2016-18 and followed with a stint as a graduate assistant.

McLean said he stepped down from the girls basketball position due to personal reasons.

“I think it’s going to allow me just to step back and be the AD, and give Coach Mike (Smith) a chance to be a head coach,” McLean said. “He’s been on Coach Sampson’s staff the last couple of years, and I’m excited about him having the opportunity to be a head coach.”

As the athletic director, McLean was in the unique position of having a role in picking his own replacement.

“I had a talk with administration and Coach Sampson, so we had some input; it wasn’t like it was just me,” McLean said. “We just felt like Mike is the right person and he’s ready for that opportunity to be a head coach. The group of girls had a lot to do with it, because it is a group of girls that got a lot of playing time last year, young girls that are ready to get better, and the program’s in a good place right now.”

Smith inherits a young Lady Rams team that was 6-19 last season in McLean’s only season at the helm, but in a program that had great success as recently as two seasons ago, with a third-round playoff run, and a 2021 United-8 Conference championship.

“With them being young, I know I have to teach them the fundamentals of the game,” Smith said. “One of my team laws is listening; I tell them listening is their best school … it’s not shooting, dribbling the basketball, because we all get better at it, but listening. … I make sure all my kids are listening first, and being professional with body language, tone of voice, communication. It all goes in hand as far as professionalism and discipline.”

After the team’s struggles through the 2023-24 season, Smith is hoping to see patience from the community as he looks to rebuild the Lady Rams.

“I ask that my parents community and my kids stay supportive,” Smith said. “I’m not asking for a perfect year, but I am asking for support, great attitudes and positive energy, anything that can help my kids, because that’s what it’s all about. I want to teach my kids a better way.”

As McLean hands Smith the program, he’s confident in Smith’s ability to build a strong team with the players returning to the Lady Rams.

“I know the girls that we have coming back, and I’m excited,” McLean said. “There’s a lot of girls that played a lot last year, and there’s a lot of upside in that program, and Mike is the right person to come in and continue working with them and seeing what the next step is for sure.”