It was a Wednesday over winter break. Waynesburg women’s basketball had just lost a non-conference game to Allegheny College. Freshman Zoie Smith was the second leading scorer with 18 points, continuing an impressive start to her rookie year.

Little did she know, the game would be her last. 

Within the previous week, Zoie’s sister, Zia, had been diagnosed with a condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, preventing her from finishing her high school basketball season.

It was a few days later Zoie learned she had a variation of the condition, which forced her away from the team she had just joined. 

“It’s been very hard on my family,” Zoie said. “[Basketball] was our relationship.” 

Zoie’s love of basketball stems from her father. The Smith’s understand that they are dealing with something bigger than the game, but have found it difficult to manage because basketball revolved around all of their lives. 

“Him seeing me not be able to play anymore was upsetting,” Zoie said. “He knew I loved it, and he loved it, and it changed in the house.” 

Her father was a personal coach for Zoie growing up. Even though there were times she didn’t want to play, he would keep convincing her that hard work would get her results and make her better as a player and a person. 

 

That work allowed her to start eight of her first 11 games as a freshman. Not only did she start right away, but she quickly developed into one of the team’s best players, averaging more than 11 points and six rebounds a game. 

“I was really disappointed for her,” Waynesburg coach Sam Jones said. “She was a great player. Due to her hard work and her love of the game of basketball, I think she would’ve been one of the top five players in the history of the program.”

Before Zoie got to Waynesburg, Jones became invested in her seeing all the elements of her basketball life during the recruiting process. 

“I knew how hard she worked to get to the college level,”  he said. “We started recruiting Zoie as a junior. I knew Zoie for two full years [and] I sat with her parents at 15 of her [high school] games. I know the whole family very well.”

Despite the circumstances in her life, Zoie still finds time to shoot hoops lightly and watch basketball with her father and sister. Despite the hand she’s been dealt, she continues to keep a positive attitude. 

“Now I can focus more on school,” Zoie said. “I still try to go to the gym. Coach Jones and coach Jess [Vormelker] always check up on me. On and off the court, they care. To me, it’s very special.”