Auburndale senior Chauncy Smart has made the decision to commit to Florida State University

Ka'Deem Wynn - After months of deliberation, Chauncy Smart has chosen to take his athletic talents to Florida State University where he will run track and field. Chauncy has gone on the record saying that playing football along with running track had been ruled out as an option just prior to him committing. He said that in football, you can get hurt once and then you’re out, possibly forever. Though track does present its fair share of injuries, the running route was the way to go.

Over the course of his college search, Chauncy had his eyes on a small group of some of the top schools in the country, including the University of Iowa, Florida State University, University of Miami, University of Florida, and the Louisiana State University. But it was the garnet and gold that attracted him.

When asked why he chose Florida State over other potential schools, Chauncy said that he “wanted to stay closer to home and they have a good coaching staff and academic program. I also saw how many athletes they’ve had go Pro.”

Understandably so, as the programs at Florida State have produced many sprinters over the years who have gone to the professional level. Athletes like Walter Dix, Marvin Bracy, and Walter McCoy have all had professional careers and have had the opportunity to not only compete at one of more Olympic Games but to receive an Olympic medal as well. Chauncy wanted to join a program with such a proud tradition.

Maybe not reaching his absolute potential last spring due to a small groin injury, Chauncy still had a terrific outdoor season having a string of fast times and victories, most notably when he ran a wind-aided (+2.8) personal-best of 10.30 to win the 100-meter final at the Pepsi Florida Relays. Chauncy finished second in the 100 at the 2016 State Track and Field Championships, running 10.93 into a tough headwind (-3.5) but went on to finish third at the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, WA.

Looking back at the past few months, Chauncy said that the recruiting process has been fun and definitely one to remember, but in the same sense, a long and trying one, mainly in part because he participated in two sports, and excelled in both.

“I was getting offers from football and track and you got coaches telling you some of the same stuff and it just got aggravating,” he said. “I have to enjoy it because I'm gonna only go through this one time in my life.  It’s great and unreal.”

With his time at Auburndale slowly ticking away, Chauncy has only one thing that he wishes to leave behind: his legacy.

“I just want people to remember me,” he said. “I want to set a record that no one will be able to touch decades from now. I want them to remember me when they say ‘Chauncy’ and when they say ‘Auburndale,’ that’s the school I came from.”

Chauncy currently has the all-conditions school record set at 10.30, and it’ll be interesting to see how much more it can be lowered.

Chauncy is getting ready to embark on life’s next great mission at a rapid pace. Before long, he’ll be packing his bags and heading to Tallahassee where he’ll join his older sister, Destiny, who currently attends Florida State. But in the meantime, he’s slowing it down a bit, still taking it all in.