Sports Spotlight: Tramari Smith, Ocoee track and field

Recent Ocoee High graduate Tramari Smith’s talent on the football field and on the track for the Knights has him readying and preparing for life as a collegiate athlete at Central State University — where he’ll play both sports for the Marauders.
 

When did you first get into track?

Probably like around 7 or 8 — I started football at 5, and I did track because it was just something to keep me conditioned, and I like competition. I took a break — I did it for a few years, and I came back in middle school. I didn’t run my freshman year, but then I came back my sophomore year. I’ve been doing it ever since.
 

What it is about track that has kept you in it?

Probably the love of my coaches and family telling me, “Oh, you can really do this — you can make it really far in this.” I started training more going forward and seeing what I could do in it, and this is where I am now.
 

Do you have a highlight moment from your time on the Ocoee track team?

From last year, my favorite moment was probably the last meet — the team was way more packed — and then this year, we had a meet at Windermere that I did really good at.
 

What is your favorite part about running track? The most challenging part?

My favorite part about running track is probably what it does to my body (physically) — the workouts, the meets and all. The most challenging part? Everything is challenging. My most challenging part is Monday practice — Monday practices are terrible. I only say that because you run on Saturdays, and then you get a whole day off where you get to eat whatever you want and relax, and then you have to come back Monday and the coaches push you hard so they can get you back and it’s terrible — you’re dying.
 

You just signed with Central State to play both football and track. How are you feeling about that?

It was a really hard process — all of it was hard. But you know, when Central State hit me up, they said I could do track and football … and then my mom looked in and said it would be a good fit for me, and my coaches said it. I also talked with some of my teammates, and they also said it would be a good fit for me. I feel good about it — I think it could be a really good fit for me, and I can really do a lot and get a lot out of it.
 

What are your plans between now and the start of your first collegiate season?

Ever since we got out, I’ve just been with different folks training — making sure I keep my body in shape and also trying to improve at the same time and try to gain weight for football. It’s really just a lot of keeping up.