B3R Bandits Coaches Brooke & Dusty Smith are both former high school runners. They both enjoyed the sport of running and had great mentors to guide them through their youth years of running. 

Coach Brooke Smith

Brooke Smith was born and raised in Clearwater/Largo, Florida.  She has competed competitively in cross country, track and soccer.  She is a graduate of Largo High School with a 4.2 GPA while earning 12 varsity letters in athletics.  She attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, on a full ride scholarship for academics and soccer.  She then transferred to the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, on a Division I full scholarship for soccer and academics where she received her B.S. degree in a dual major of education and pre-med kinetics/human performance.  During her school career in both high school and collegiate, she participated in olympic development programs and professional soccer teams even traveling over seas to compete.  She has received numerous accolades in both academics and athletics throughout her career in cross country, track and soccer.  Upon receiving her degree, she has coached both cross country, track and soccer at the secondary level.  She has been an educator for the State of Florida since 2011 in all academic grades with a focus in special education and intervention.  She has owned her own performance private gym, been certified by the ACSM for personal training and a leader in heart health education through physical activity and nutrition with the American Heart Association advocating through the education system.

"I grew up in a running, athletic household with my private coach, my dad, pushing me every day to reach my full potential.  I believe that running, nutrition, and education helped me to achieve my goals and reach my success.  This foundation started in my youth at home and then great coaches built upon this foundation.  This is a sport that every one can participate in and that everyone can strive to be their very best while developing lifelong friendships along the way." 

 

Coach Dusty Smith

Coach Dusty loved running from a young age, while growing up in Lake City, FL Coach Dusty was unaware of cross country and track & field as Lake City did not offer those as a youth sport option. When Coach Dusty started his freshman year of high school, he met the new XC & Track Coach David Halliday.  Coach Dusty quickly found himself on the XC team and started watching his times drop under Coach Halliday. Fast forward four years and many miles later and Coach Dusty and his team at Columbia High School worked hard enough to claim a 2001 FHSAA XC Runner-Up team Championship and a 2002 Track & Field team Championship. 

Coach Dusty started working for Half-Mile Timing shortly after high school in 2005 timing track & field, XC and road races. After awhile he started hosting his own cross country events and has been hosting multiple events every year since 2006.