Coach Homer Smiles dedicated his life to coaching and educating young people. He grew up in West End and attended West End High School in Birmingham. Smiles served four years in the U.S. Navy during World War II in service for his country.

After the war, Smiles played football at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. He later transferred to Howard College where he received his Masters degree.

Smiles began his coaching career at he alma mater, West End, where he stayed for the next four years. In 1954 he accepted the head coaching position at Fairfield High School for three seasons before moving over to Leeds in 1957.

Smiles remained at Leeds as the head football coach until he stepped aside following the 1971 season. His overall football coaching record is 111-51-6 in seventeen seasons as a head coach. His teams played in 13 Dental Clinic games winning ten of those contests.

He was the principal at Leeds Middle School for the last ten years of his education career. Smiles retired in 1983 after 31 years in athletics and education. The football stadium in Leeds is named in his honor.

He was named coach of the year twice and was a member of the North coaching staff for the state All-Star football game.

Coach Smiles was inducted into the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. He passed away August 27, 2009 in Leeds.