QUINTON SMITH

WEIRTON — The Madonna football program’s hiatus was a short one.

This past week, the Blue Dons introduced Quinton Smith as the new head coach of the program after the school was not able to field a team this past season. Smith has already started the process of re-starting things after the pause.

“I’m very excited to be a head football coach,” Smith, a longtime Weirton resident originally from Mississippi, said. “It comes with a lot of responsibility, and I am looking forward to embracing the challenge.”

Smith is a Weir High grad, having played for the Red Riders from 2003-05, and was part of the 2005 OVAC and state championship winning team.

His coaching career also began at Weir High, where he was a strength and conditioning coach for the Red Riders from 2015-2023, working with the high school and middle school levels. He was a part of the staff for 2019 BMC championship team and the Red Riders’ 2023 state semifinal run and OVAC title, working under Tony Filberto, whom he played for, and Frank Sisinni during his tenure at his alma mater.

He stepped back from coaching after his child was born and now is ready to get back in the game.

He attended St. Paul’s prior to going to Weir High, though, so he’s no stranger to Madonna.

“The reception has been very warm,” he said. “The Madonna community is very excited to have football back. You can tell it’s something that’s very important to them.

“Some of the people I know from Weir have seen me at the gym and joked they’ll have to start rooting for Madonna some now. People have come up to me and wished me well — you can tell football is something important to the community.”

Smith takes over after John McCune served as the head coach for one season in 2024, guiding the Blue Dons to a 7-3 regular season and a return to the WVSSAC playoffs.

A lack of numbers, however, prevented Madonna from being able to compete last season despite that success.

Smith acknowledged that taking over a program that had been paused for a year comes with its challenges.

“The biggest thing is getting everyone back in a football mindset, back in the weight room and back in football mode,” he said. “Football shape and shape for other sports are very different.”

He said they had 13 players attend an initial meeting, though he noted there were more interested who could not attend. His goal, he said, is to have that number between 18 and 25 when it’s time to put on the pads.

Aside from coaching, Smith served his country in the Air Force for eight years as an aeromedical evacuation technician.

He is the owner and operator of the Weirton Fitness Complex and has a dozen years of experience in the fitness industry.

“I’m excited to get going,” Smith added.