After spending 21 years as the Cerritos College wrestling coach, Jeff Smith is now beginning his fifth year as the department’s Athletic Director after spending a year as an Athletic Coordinator. His duties include helping with facilitating needs of the department in a wide variety of aspects. In addition, Smith also serves as the advisor to the wrestling program and also teaches classes within the department. He remains involved in the progress of the wrestling team and is close to the wrestlers. In his 21 years as the Cerritos College wrestling coach, Jeff Smith led the Falcons to 12 South Coast Conference championships, as well as one State Championship and two dual state championships. In 1998, his final season, the Falcons placed fourth in the state championships, after winning the title in 1995. Prior to winning the championship, the team had finished second for three straight seasons. Smith has had a long list of former wrestlers who have gone on to great accomplishments after their days as a Falcon. Several names include Heath Sims (2000 Olympics Greco-Roman team), George Williams (1992 Olympic Alternate in Greco Roman and 4-time USA Wrestling All-American), Greg Jackson (NCAA Division II National Champion), Rudolph James (NAIA Division I All-American) and Anthony Hamlett (USA Wrestling All-American).

Smith was also an outstanding wrestler in his days, as he was a State Champion and All-American for the Falcons during the 1966-67 season. He then moved onto Michigan State University, where he was a two-time Big Ten Champion and named the conference's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Also a two-time All-American, Smith went on to win national titles in Freestyle and Greco Roman styles of wrestling and was a four-time USA Wrestling All-American. He was also Pan American Games gold medal winner in free style wrestling and was an alternate on the 1972 Olympic Team.

Smith was born in Long Beach, CA and attended Bellflower High School where he finished third at heavyweight in CIF. Jeff started his coaching and teaching career at Arroyo High School in El Monte, leading the team to their first league title in wrestling. He moved on to Artesia High School where his teams won league titles the next four years in a row. He took over the program at Cerritos College in 1978, where his success has continued with numerous championships in conference and regional competition. Cerritos has had the most State Champions of any school in California community college history (38) and has a good track record of getting Cerritos wrestlers to continue their education and wrestling careers at the four-year level. Smith was named “Coach of the Year” in 1995 after Cerritos won the State Championship.