By Rick Peterson Jr.
KSHSAA Covered
Roger Barta, who built a football powerhouse at Smith Center and brought national attention to the town with a historic 79-game winning streak, passed away last week at 79.
Barta coached the Redmen to eight state championships, including five consecutive undefeated seasons from 2004 to 2008. He retired in 2012 with a record of 323-68.
“He paid very close attention to people. He recognized when people either needed something or wanted to do more,” said Brooks Barta, who followed in his father's coaching footsteps to form a highly successful program at Holton.
“He knew how to say it and when to say it. He was a master motivator because he led with his heart."
A member of the KSHSAA, National High School Athletic Coaches Association and Kansas Sports hall of fames, Barta is fifth on the state’s all-time wins list.
He grew up in Plainville and graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1967 before earning his masters degree from the University of Georgia in 1971. Barta took over the Smith Center program in 1978 and the Redmen reached the state title game the following season.
The 79-game win streak, which ended in 2009, is the fifth-longest streak in the nation’s history. It created a national buzz, culminating in a New York Times bestselling book, “Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen.”
The author, Joe Drape of the New York Times, spent a year in Smith Center to chronicle the Redmen during the 2008 season.
“None of this is really about football … What I hope we’re doing is sending kids into life who know that every day means something,” Barta said in Drape's book.
Outside of the five-peat, Smith Center’s other titles under Barta came in 1982, 1986 and 1999.
Brooks Barta still utilizes his father's patented wishbone attack at Holton. Entering his 29th season, he's guided the Wildcats to 269 wins and three state titles.
The street leading up to Smith Center’s football stadium is named Roger Barta Way.