NY native was XC assistant
By: Justin Feil
With each year spent at Princeton High, Jim Smirk takes on a little greater responsibility in the track program.
Smirk, a freshman biology teacher, was one of the middle school track coaches when he first arrived at PHS. He moved up to assist John Woodside with the cross country teams this fall, his third year at the school.
And this winter, he takes on his first head coaching position as he steers the girls’ winter track team, an opportunity that he’s looking forward to after his prior impressions of PHS student-athletes.
"They’re good kids," Smirk said. "They have a desire to really focus and learn to be good. Students like that, they’re not rare at Princeton. It’s always a privilege when you get students and athletes like that."
Having been a freshman biology teacher, Smirk has gotten to know the academic side of several PHS students, and he’s starting to understand more what they can offer athletically as well.
"It is nice. I get to see them every day in building," Smirk said. "I get to make contact in the building and out. It helps make positive relationships with them."
Smirk is hoping that the PHS track team will find he has plenty to offer. He grew up on Long Island, N.Y., and ran track and cross country at Smithtown High. He specialized in the 400 hurdles and the 800 meters. He remained fit following high school graduation and continues to enjoy the sport.
"I run recreationally," said Smirk, who resides in Ewing. "I ran competitively through college, not for the team but in other races. And I continued to run when I first started teaching."
Smirk began teaching and coaching at his home Smithtown High, where he also first coached Ultimate Frisbee, something that he has continued to do since arriving at Princeton. This year, he’s given up Ultimate for three seasons of track and cross country.
"I transferred the coaching of Ultimate to running," said Smirk, who didn’t originally plan to teach, let alone coach, following graduation from college but has since enjoyed both. He hopes to continue as a coach for the PHS spring track program.
He’ll be able to utilize his positive cross country experience as well as his background as a track competitor himself as a coach in the winter alongside boys’ head coach John Woodside.
"Officially, it’s two separate programs," Smirk said. "But the reality is, it’s like a coed team. I have hurdles and sprints, and Coach Woodside has distance and we’re both tag-teaming on high jump and shot put."
Smirk continues to rely on his running roots and his newfound PHS home as he settles into his first track head coaching position.
"It’s been kind of a mixture of everything," Smirk said. "When I went back to coach at Smithtown, I worked with my old coach and that helped. I’m constantly learning from Coach Woodside. I’m coaching sprinting, so I’m learning about that quickly."
It’s just one of his new responsibilities. Each year, Jim Smirk has found a little more responsibility and this winter he’s thrilled to have the chance to guide the PHS girls’ track team.

