• Coached three Golden Bears teams over a 10 year period (football, basketball, and hockey).
• Chair of the 1978 Commonwealth Games Swimming Committee. The Kinsmen Aquatics Centre pool was named in his honor.
• National president of the Canadian Camping Association (1967-69).
• Served as the Red Cross Society's national water safety chairman (1971-76).

W.D. (Don) Smith was born in Port Colbourne, Ontario in 1921 where he completed his early education. He then attended the University of Toronto and was granted a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education Degree in 1945. He was also selected as the University's "Most Outstanding Athlete" that year. In 1946, Don graduated from Columbia University in New York with an M.A. in Physical Education (Administration) and in 1957 was granted a Doctorate in Administration of Health and Physical Education from the University of Buffalo.

Before accepting a position at the University of Alberta in 1947, Dr. Smith had been a lecturer and assistant football coach at the University of Toronto. It was at that time, as well, that he began his twenty-nine year association with the Red Cross Society, serving as National Water Safety Chairman from 1971 to 1976.

At the University of Alberta, Dr. Smith taught in the School of Physical Education and coached football, basketball and hockey over a ten year period. From 1951 through 1957, he was the coach of the Golden Bear Hockey Team. In 1966 he focused his active involvement on swimming as an administrator and coach and from 1970 to 1976 became heavily involved in the administration of competitive swimming nationally and internationally. He was named Chairman of the 1978 Commonwealth Games Swimming Committee and worked closely with the builders of the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre. The competitive pool in that complex subsequently was named in his honor.

Don and Gwen Smith were married in 1948 and raised eight children, four boys and four girls, in their family home on Saskatchewan Drive in Edmonton. Several of their children received international recognition as competitive swimmers.

As an avid outdoor sportsman, Dr. Smith was instrumental in the development of the camping and outdoor education program in this Faculty. From 1963 to 1967, he served as an executive member of the Alberta Camping Association and was National President of the Canadian Camping Association. From 1967 to 1969, he was the National President of the Canadian Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and was President of Sport Alberta from 1974 to 1976.

In 1967, he was appointed the first Chairman of the Department of Physical Education, and continued to teach at the graduate and undergraduate levels where he lectured and served in a variety of executive positions with many widely recognized organizations.

Dr. Smith was the recipient of numerous awards, among them the CAHPER Honor Award, the Badge of Service and Honourary Membership in the Canadian Red Cross Society. In 1974, he was selected to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and two years later received the award of the Canadian Council in Cooperation with Aquatics. He was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in 1976.

On September 1, 1976, Dr. Don Smith lost his fight with cancer. He left behind a loving family and innumerable students who held him in the highest regard. His contribution to sport, his profession and this community remain a legacy.