Youth Rob Smith played for Kirkwood Soccer Club in New Castle Delaware for many of his youth years. Rob Smith played for Thomas McKean High school in Wilmington, DE before attending the
University of South Carolina where he played on the men's soccer team from 1991 to 1994. He holds the school's career assists record with 40.
Professional In 1995, Smith played eleven games with the
Delaware Wizards of
USISL. The
Columbus Crew selected Smith in the second round (20th overall) in the
1996 MLS Supplemental Draft. He spent five seasons with the Crew. Smith announced his retirement from playing on May 5, 2000.He played one game with the
Indiana Blast. He then signed with the
Charleston Battery on August 2, 2000, for the remainder of the 2000 USL season.[http://www.a-league.com/news/2000/news,2000,0004.shtml He never played a game for the Battery.
National teams In 1993, Smith was selected for the U.S. team which qualified for the
1993 U-20 World Cup to be held in
Australia. At the World Cup, the U.S. went 1–1–1 in group play, qualifying for the second round where it fell to Brazil. Smith started all four games and assisted on two U.S. goals. In 1995, Smith was part of the
U.S. soccer team at the
Pan American games. The U.S. lost all three of its first-round games and did not qualify for the second round. That year, he also played on the U.S.
World University Games soccer team. In 1996, U.S. coach
Bruce Arena named Smith to the
U.S. soccer team at the
1996 Summer Olympics. The team went 1–1–1, but failed to make the second round. ==Coaching==