David Smallwood, who has lived in Wilson since graduation, was one of those soccer players who helped put the sport on the map at Atlantic Christian (now Barton) College.
The school has not posted a winning record in its first four seasons with the sport, but with Smallwood anchoring a strong defense, the Bulldogs went from 6-7-1 in 1975 to 11-5-0 in 1976, his freshman season. The team took off from there, going 9-4-4 in 1977, 12-4 in 1978 and 14-5-1 in 1979.
The Bulldogs captured the school’s first Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletics Conference title in ’79 and won the NAIA District 26 championship his senior season.
Smallwood has the distinction of being the youngest of three brothers to play soccer for Barton. His freshman year, his brothers Chip and Chris were also suiting up for the Bulldogs.
Smallwood, wanting to carve his own niche after a stellar high school career, decided to attend Slippery Rock State University in Pennsylvania, where he said the program was so strong that he was “practice fodder,” so he transferred to Barton.
Despite his small size, 5-6 and 135 pounds, his determination and instincts made him a tremendous defender. The result was four consecutive seasons on the All-CIAC and All-District teams.
Head coach Dave Adkins and assistant Mike Smith surely had the same sentiments. Smallwood, admittedly a workaholic in practice, quickly found favor with the coaches and was named co-captain as a freshman. He maintained the role for four seasons.
He still has fond memories of back-to-back trips to Huntsville, Ala., his junior and senior seasons for the NAIA Tournament.
Smallwood, who coaches Wilson Recreation Department and Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) teams, says from the time he began playing youth soccer as a fourth grader in Northern Virginia, he just had good field awareness.
Smallwood, the son of the late Eugene Smallwood and Suzanne and Joseph Quinlan, was born in Fort Mead, Md. As the son of a military man, the current account representative from Kraftmaid Cabinetry had to relocate a lot as a child, living in Hawaii, Kansas, Georgia and Virginia.
He played forward on the high school soccer team and also wrestled, but soccer was his true love. He never dreamed Wilson would be his college, then permanent home, “but I met a local girl (Darla Parris) and fell deeply in love.” They have a son, Parris, whom he coached in the U-12 CASL League. That team won a Gold Medal in the State Games of NC.
Smallwood, who majored in biology, also developed a lot of strong relationships with his teammates. He roomed with current Barton athletic director Gary Hall his last two years in school, and both were excellent sweepers/stoppers on those championship teams.
He remembers playing alongside Fred Claridge, Steve Sellers, his two brothers, Tony Barriteau, Kawa Aljaff, Hall, Elfatih Eltom and Willie Diamond.
In many ways, it was Smallwood, his brothers and others who made soccer such a strong sport at Barton. After all, he was the captain four years running of a team that went 46-18-5 while playing some very tough opponents.
For his leadership, skills and contributions to community, he was enshrined forever into his alma mater’s Hall of Fame, an honor he will cherish.
