2026 Senior Spotlight · #36

Some players grow up in the sport. Noah Gabriel Smith took a different route—and that is exactly what makes his story worth celebrating. In his senior year, after years of competing in other sports, Noah said yes when Lucas Lesko asked him to join the soccer team. One invitation and one new challenge later, #36 has found his place alongside his friends as a Greater Latrobe Wildcat.

It Is Never Too Late

Starting a new sport as a senior takes courage. There is no long runway, no familiar routine and no guarantee that everything will come easily. Noah stepped into that challenge anyway.

He began the season with two clear personal goals: earn a varsity starting spot and score a goal. For the team, he wanted a winning record. Whether he was learning something new in training or competing on game day, his approach was to keep pushing and give the challenge everything he had.

“It is never too late. Push yourself to be the best.”

Noah Smith on the biggest lesson soccer taught him

That lesson fits Noah’s path. Soccer may be the newest addition to his athletic story, but competition is not. He has also played baseball, basketball and volleyball, and he has competed in swimming. Each sport asked something different of him. Soccer gave him one more chance to stretch himself before graduation.

An Invitation That Changed His Senior Year

When Noah was asked about the moment that inspired him most, he did not name a dramatic play or a final score. He named the moment Lucas Lesko asked him to join the team.

That invitation opened the door to an experience Noah might otherwise have missed. What he looked forward to most was simply playing with his friends, and his favorite Latrobe soccer memory is just as straightforward: being on a team with them.

Sometimes belonging begins with one person making room. Lucas extended the invitation, Noah accepted it and an entire group of friends helped turn one season into a Wildcat memory.

Play Aggressive

Noah’s soccer philosophy can be summed up in two words: play aggressive. It is the advice he would give younger players, the motto he carries with him and the reason Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is his favorite athlete.

Before games, Noah gets himself ready by listening to music and meditating. His pump-up song is “Chauncey” by Eian. Once the whistle blows, the calm preparation gives way to a competitive approach.

Belle Vernon stands out as his most memorable game. And when the team needed a laugh, Noah could count on Ryan Gettemy, who earned Noah’s very direct explanation: “because he is very funny.”

The People Who Made It Matter

For Noah, being a senior means becoming someone younger players can look up to. He hopes his teammates remember him as someone who was really good for his first year playing—a new player who showed up ready to learn, compete and contribute.

He is thankful for the friends who made him part of the team, especially Lucas Lesko, Nolan Dempsey, Nolan Thomas, Tyler Webster and Camden Flynn. At home, he is supported by his parents, Jeremy and Jennifer, and his siblings, Madison, Riley and Gracelynn.

And, because every team needs a story that may never be fully explained, Noah leaves behind the memory of convincing everyone that his house had been destroyed by a tornado. Some senior legacies are built on goals and assists. Others live forever in the group chat.

Beyond the Field

When he is not competing, Noah enjoys spending time with friends, camping and riding motorcycles. After graduation, he plans to spend two years at Westmoreland County Community College before continuing for two years at Seton Hill University. Ten years from now, he sees himself working as a therapist.

One Season Was Enough

Noah did not need years in the program to understand what makes a team matter. He needed an invitation, the courage to try and friends who made him feel like he belonged.

His story is a fitting way to close our 2026 senior spotlight series. This class arrived at senior season by different paths. Some of these Wildcats have played soccer together for years. Noah joined them for one. Every one of those journeys became part of the same team.

“Thanks for letting me be a part of the team!”

Noah’s message to his fellow Wildcats

Congratulations, Noah. Thank you for taking the chance, for joining the team and for reminding future Wildcats that it is never too late to begin.