CASTLEWOOD, Va. – It was recently announced that Castlewood will have a new football coach. Cody Smith, who graduated in 2005, was named to direct the football program at his alma mater.
“This is a dream come true, something I’ve always wanted since I was a sophomore in high school,” Smith said. “I’ve applied for this job a couple of times; now I have more experience under my belt. I’ve bled and sweat on this field; to be the leader is something I’ve always wanted.”
Shon Chisom’s two-year reign is over; he’s leaving for a job as an assistant coach in Georgia. Smith was an assistant on Chisom’s staff. He has also served as an assistant at Lebanon and has been the head wrestling coach for the Blue Devils the past two seasons.
The football program has struggled. Under Chisom, they went 2-18 over the past two seasons. They were winless in 2025, outscored by an average of 44 to 6. Castlewood had a 6-43 record over their last five seasons. The latest winning campaign was in the spring of 2021, when they went 5-2 in the COVID-shortened season under Chris Lark.
“We’re working to change the culture, bringing back ‘Devil Ball’ and the Blue Devil pride that was here in the 90s and early 2000s,” Smith commented. “I want to bring the community back in and focus on the youth. That’s something I feel hasn’t been done from the varsity and high school sides. That’s the key. It’s what we can do in the next 10 years, not today or tomorrow.”
Castlewood experienced a significant impact due to graduation in May, but some talent is returning.
“We should be around 25 guys, maybe a little higher after school starts. You have some that will trickle in,” Smith noted. “We have several skill players and linemen back. I have kids who haven’t played for the past two years coming back out, and some who’ve never played before. We’re working the hallways and social media hard to bring kids in.”
Numbers have always posed challenges for the Blue Devils. This won’t change overnight, but they are working to alleviate the problem.
“I’m trying to talk to kids, using a lot of outlets. Having Barry Ruff as athletic director has been a big help,” remarked Smith. “We’re trying to get athletes from all sports walking the halls. We all have to work together and share athletes.”
Discipline will be instilled in the Blue Devil football program.
“We’re setting a high standard,” Smith said. “Discipline, honor, and integrity are our three main points. Discipline is first. These kids will say yes, sir, no, sir, or I will pull them off the field. That’s the way I was raised. Respect everyone. I’m working to change that mentality. We’re going to talk with our pads, not our mouths.”
As for Xs and Os, Castlewood won’t be a spread offense or a pass-happy team.
“We will run the football; we’ll be a running team,” stated Smith. “We’ll probably run the ball 60 percent of the time and throw 40 percent. We’re looking to move the line of scrimmage.”
Smith is the fifth coach of Castlewood in the past nine years. He hopes to bring some stability.
“I went through something similar when I was here in high school,” Smith noted. “I played for Matthew Saunders, B.I. Salyers, and David Scammell, so I understand what they’re going through. These kids know I’ll fight for them and back them 100 percent as long as they’re in the right. I’m at my school, and I don’t plan on leaving. I want to see this program flourish and for Castlewood football to be feared.”
The Cumberland District is tough. Eastside and Rye Cove have been perennial powers, not just in the district but at the region and state levels.
“It will be a hard climb. We were 0-10 last year. We can’t go any lower than that,” declared Smith. “Our only way is up. We have to build and compete, not just for a quarter but each down.”
The first game will be August 28th when Castlewood will host Bland County at B.C. White Stadium.
