A foot injury sidelined the talented 19-year-old for the best part of a year, although initially she played through the injury before eventually conceding and taking a complete break.
So when 1.87m goal shoot suited up for Southland in the national championship last year, her expectations were quite realistic.
She was hoping to show enough promise to secure a spot with the Steel as a training partner. But the teenager impressed in her early outings, in particular in the derby against Otago.
Smith was named player of the match for a solid shooting performance in which she netted 31 of her 40 attempts. And most of the shots she missed were recovered with some powerful rebounding.
Her performance attracted the attention of Steel co-coach Natalie Avellino, who approached Smith after the game.
"I didn't have a very good season in the NPC but those first few games must have done it," Smith said.
"But it was what I've always wanted to do - to play for the Steel. If not, I would have been happy as a training partner if they had offered me that."
Smith, who can roll her r's with the best of them, moved to Christchurch to play for the Canterbury Tactix in 2010 and enrolled at Lincoln University.
"I just turned city for a year and I loved it," she said.
"I could leave the gumboots at home and I loved having people around me all the time."
But the course at Lincoln was not as practically focused as Smith had hoped and a stress fracture in her foot ruined any chance of a return to the Tactix in 2011.
So Smith, a proud Southlander, returned to the family farm near Gore and started her rehabilitation and enrolled at the University of Otago, where she is studying extramurally to become a veterinarian nurse.
And the foot is almost as good as new.
"I still feel it every now and then. It's niggly but I'm on top of it now."
While she was sidelined, Smith continued to practise shooting.
But she was unable to put much weight on her foot and could not roll forward on to her toes with the momentum of the shot. Her shot started to go horribly wrong.
Basically, Smith had to relearn her craft and sees this season has a chance to rebuild.
"I just want to build my confidence at training after having a year off. I'm basically starting from zero again and want to get all my strength back. Also, I want to soak up the knowledge from those senior players.
"I won't be putting any extra pressure on myself and will just take it as it comes."
With experienced shooters Donna Wilkins and Jodi Brown in the team, playing opportunities could be limited to a few minutes.
But then anything can happen.
An injury to Brown or Wilkins will leave Smith jostling for a starting spot with Otago shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit.
Goal shoot is a daunting position and it is not uncommon for games to be decided by a goal or two. The shooters operate under enormous pressure and each athlete has her own method for coping with the tension which can grab hold of the body and mind.
Smith's approach is to try to put the game situation out of her mind and just focus on the shot.
"Because you practise so much, you've just got to think it is just another shot, so shove it up. And your muscles almost know what to do, well, that's the theory, anyway.
"You have to remember, it is not just that one shot which wins it. Something always happens during the game.
"It is awesome when it goes right."
