Latest news with #AshleySmith
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Homeless ex-con turned his life around and now helps others do the same
When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said. When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said. When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said. When Ashley Smith woke up from his third overdose, he knew something had to give. Finding himself in and out of jail, homeless and abusing substances, Mr Smith was left with nothing. But he knew one thing: life had more to offer. "I thought, I've got to do something with my life - being in prison, living on the streets, drinking in parks, there had to be something bigger," Mr Smith said. Growing up in a troubled family, Mr Smith said most of his family were in jail. After a domestic violence incident involving his mother and stepfather a few years ago, Mr Smith's mother was sentenced to long-term imprisonment. As a result, Mr Smith was evicted from the home where he had been living for ten years and became homeless. "I lived on the street for about 12 months, I've lived behind skip bins, in a safe space shelter, I've been to prison five times, it got to the point that I thought it was normal," he said. After numerous stints in rehab and multiple attempts at treatment in facilities across Australia, Mr Smith made the decision to turn his life around for good 12 months ago after an almost fatal overdose. A few weeks ago, he returned from Melbourne, where he spent two months in a sober house. He's since secured housing in Launceston and started a business cleaning solar panels. But there was still something he had to do - give back. "I want to give back now. I feel like it's my purpose now to help the youth and the community," he said. Mr Smith made it his mission to supply the homeless community in Launceston, TAS, with kits and uses his Facebook page - Breaking the Cycle Tassie - to advocate for positive lifestyle change. "I engage with the homeless community and have a chat," he said. "The kits could include tents, blowup mattresses, hand warmers, beanies, socks, undies." Using his story to inspire others, Mr Smith's advocacy has helped him just as much as it's helped others. "I met a bloke with his 14-year-old kid who is homeless. He actually follows me on TikTok, and he thanked me for helping him," he said. "It's crazy. I go into the CBD and I get at least two people who want to shake my hand." With first-hand experience of homelessness, Mr Smith said substance abuse was often a path those sleeping rough went down. He urged the community to be more understanding of people's circumstances. "It's the cold, alcohol helps people go to sleep and stay asleep," he said. "People say they should 'get a job', but you can't on four hours of sleep. In weather like this, you wake up soaked, and you have to find somewhere to shower. "All you want to do is block it all out, drink and use drugs." 'Don't give up' Mr Smith said he wanted to show people, especially youth, that they can "break the cycle" of criminality, drug and alcohol use, they are born into. "You can break that cycle, even if you come from disadvantaged families - you've got to put your head down and work hard, he said. "Don't give up, there is hope. If I can do it, anybody can." With his life together, Mr Smith said he felt better than he ever has, and although some days are harder than others, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm 74 days clean and sober, and it feels good. My head feels so clear, I can think properly, it's great," he said.
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Who is Ashley Smith, the Utah Jazz co-owner? Get to know the exec.
Who is Ashley Smith, the Utah Jazz co-owner? Get to know the exec. Ashley Smith isn't just the husband of Utah Jazz majority owner Ryan Smith. No, she's a co-owner too, and she was chosen to be the team's representative at the 2025 NBA Draft lottery as the franchise hopes to have the No. 1 overall pick. Smith, per the Huntsman School of Business at Utah State: "She grew up in Las Vegas and began dancing at age 7. Her credentials are on point: Royal Academy of Dancing Ballet Curriculum; International Society of Tap Dancing Curriculum; a dancer at BYU; a certified RAD trained teacher; a certified American Ballet Theater teacher." With the Jazz -- according to the team -- she "plays an active role in guiding SEG's philanthropic efforts through the SEG Foundation, which launched in October 2024, and the Utah Jazz Scholarship program, which has awarded 114 Utah students with four-year, full cost of attendance scholarships to Utah universities." And how did she and Ryan meet? That would be at Brigham Young University, in an accounting class. Very cool.
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Epoch Times
Utah NHL Fans Show Ownership of New Mammoth Mascot
It took 13 months, as many rounds of balloting as the papal conclave, and 850,000-plus votes by fans for the Utah Hockey Club to arrive at the new Utah Mammoth mascot. Utah received the NHL franchise in 2024 when the Arizona Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake City. The first season of the Utah Hockey Club produced a 38–31–13 season, where the team fell short of the playoffs as the Delta Center sold out for all of the team's 41 home games. 'We love the passion of the people of Utah and the way they showed up for the team during its inaugural season and the energy they brought to voting on its permanent identity,' team owners Ryan and Ashley Smith said 'From day one, we committed that this team would be built with and for the people of Utah, and we are excited to celebrate today's launch with the entire state. The community chose the Utah Mammoth, and it stands as a symbol of who we are, where we came from, and the unstoppable force we're building together.' It's unique for Utah that a professional team relocates and changes its name to fit the area. When the New Orleans Jazz moved to Utah in 1979, the franchise kept the name and the colors. Utah is not known for having a jazz scene as New Orleans does, but mammoths are part of Utah's history. Archaeologists have found mammoth fossils in multiple parts of Utah, including a nearly complete skeleton in 1988. Related Stories 4/18/2024 6/13/2024 Other names considered along the way included Outlaws, Yeti, and Wasatch. A latecomer, Outlaws didn't make the final cut. Yeti didn't last, because the franchise couldn't work out trademark issues with the Yeti cooler company. Wasatch, a long mountain range in the state, didn't make it among the finalists. 'I told all my friends that were going, 'If you're not voting for Mammoth, you better not talk to me again,'' Utah hockey fan Keegan Wright The fans interviewed by the newspaper indicated their excitement over the Mammoth nickname. In the final stage, the Utah Hockey Club limited fan voting to those who attended the games. The Delta Center had iPad stations for fans to vote during a four-game stretch in the second half of the season. Utah hockey fan Brian Bolnick said he likes what the process did for the fan base amid a new team in town. 'The community here has obviously blossomed a ton since the team arrived and I think it is going to exponentially grow even more now that we actually have an identity,' Bolnick told The Salt Lake Tribune. 'I feel like all of us are kind of woven into that jersey. It is awesome to know that we all got to play a part in that,' he added. 'I really appreciate what Ryan and Ashley [Smith] and the SEG group are doing for Utah as a whole, but especially the hockey community.' Ryan Smith, who also owns the Jazz, announced that the fans would decide on the new Utah NHL team's name following the 2024 move. For Utah hockey fan Kyle Finneman, it spoke volumes to see that process come to fruition. 'At the end of the day, when you're a billionaire, you get to do what you want. So, to take the saying of what people want always speaks volumes,' Finneman told The Salt Lake Tribune. 'It's nice to be heard. That's all anyone wants as a fan is to be heard. He could've done whatever. Sometimes the easy answer is the community answer.' Ryan Smith expressed how he liked the process. He added that what nickname the fans wanted became crystal clear. 'I think my favorite part was that our fans made it really easy for us. Every single night we were doing the voting, Mammoth just started running away with it,' he NHL commissioner Gary Bettman may have said it best in the end as the league grows in a new state. 'We trusted you to trust the people of this community,' Bettman told reporters on Wednesday. 'Everything you've tried to do and everything you've done has been a mammoth undertaking.'
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Name Not The Same: NHL's HC Becomes 'Mammoth' In 2025-26
The team that shall be named is no longer going through life as the Utah Hockey Club. The franchise has selected the 'Mammoth' as its official name, and that selection came after 13 months of consternation and four rounds of fan voting. The name Mammoth relates to a powerful, 14-foot-tall animal that roamed the Utah area 10,000 years ago. The Smith Entertainment Group made the announcement Wednesday and explained that the naming is a key step in establishing the growth of the franchise. 'The community chose the Utah Mammoth brand, and it stands as a symbol of who we are, where we came from and the unstoppable force we're building together,' said owners Ryan and Ashley Smith. The team colors from the team's first year Utah remain the same. The Mammoth jerseys are rock black, salt white and mountain blue. Other names that were considered included the Outlaws, Wasatch, Blizzard and Yeti. The latter name had to be taken out of the running because the hockey team could not reach an agreement with the YETI cooler company. The franchise went through its first season in Salt Lake City as the Utah Hockey Club and was often referred to as the Utah HC. The arrival of the franchise in Utah came as the NHL cut its ties with the Arizona Coyotes at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. The Coyotes had started life in the desert as the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996-97 and changed its name to the state affiliation in 2014-15. The Coyotes made the playoffs in just one of its last 12 seasons. They finished their run in Arizona playing in the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University after multiple attempts to build new facilities failed. While it appears that the team simply relocated from Arizona to Utah, the NHL made it clear that the Utah HC is considered a new franchise. It did not take the Coyotes' history with it, but this team had the same players and coaching staff that closed the previous season in Arizona. The franchise was widely accepted in its new location. Utah played at the Delta Center, the same arena that serves as the home to the NBA's Utah Jazz. The arena sold out 11,131 seats for the full season along with more than 4,000 obstructed view seats for the bargain price of $10. The team says that renovation of the Delta Center will take place in the coming years to make sure that all seats offer a complete view of the game. However, specific dates for the arena changes have not been disclosed. The first year of the team in Utah saw limited success. The Utah HC did not make the playoffs, but the team with a 38-31-13 record and 89 points. That left them seven points behind the St. Louis Blues, the team that finished in the No. 8 spot of the Western Conference's playoff structure. While the Utah HC was far from a dominant team, they were extremely competitive on the road with a 20-16-5 record. Head coach Andre Tourigny's team played with quite a bit of resilience in its first season in Utah, and the Mammoth has some legitimate talent to build around in 2025-26 and future seasons. Center Clayton Keller is a legitimate star who scored 30 goals and 60 assists for 90 points. Fellow centers Logan Cooley (65 points) and Nick Schmaltz (63 points) give Tourigny and the Mammoth strength up the middle. Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev earned a championship pedigree during his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning and is the anchor of the team's blue line after scoring 15 goals and adding 38 assists. Goaltender Karel Vemelka demonstrated legitimacy as a puck stopper with a 26-22-8 record along with a 2.58 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.
Fox News
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Utah Mammoth revealed as permanent name of Salt Lake City's NHL team
The NHL team in Salt Lake City is now known as the Utah Mammoth. Owners Ryan and Ashley Smith unveiled the franchise's permanent name Wednesday after more than a year of fan input and voting. "From Day 1, we committed that this team would be built with and for the people of Utah, and we are excited to celebrate today's launch with the entire state," they said in a statement announcing the name. "The community chose the Utah Mammoth brand, and it stands as a symbol of who we are, where we came from and the unstoppable force we're building together." Mammoth replaces the inaugural season placeholder name Utah Hockey Club, which was also one of the three finalists. Yeti was taken out of consideration when the cooler company bearing that name could not come to a copyright agreement with Utah ownership, and Wasatch — a reference to the state's mountain range — was quickly replaced as an option by Outlaws. The Mammoth are maintaining the same black, light blue and white color scheme and the road jerseys with UTAH diagonally down the front. The logo includes a nod to the mountains, the shape of the state and a curved tusk that forms a "U." Mammoth fossils have been found throughout Utah, including a complete skeleton in Huntington Canyon in 1988. The team said "Tusks Up" will be its rallying cry. Utah has an exciting summer ahead holding the fourth pick in the draft, the first phase of arena renovations taking place and more than $20 million in salary cap space for general manager Bill Armstrong to make a splash in free agency and trades. With young talent like captain Clayton Keller, budding star forward Logan Cooley, two-time Stanley Cup champion Mikhail Sergachev and emerging goaltender Karel Vejmelka, the Mammoth could contend for a playoff spot as soon as next season. While the team hasn't changed their handle on platforms such as X just yet, only their display name, they have released official renderings of the jerseys to be worn by the Mammoth both in Utah and in road games. The rebranding comes less than 13 months since Smith Entertainment group bought the team previously known as the Arizona Coyotes from former owner Alex Meruelo and moved it to Salt Lake City. The Coyotes played in the Phoenix area since 1996 after moving there from Winnipeg, where the team was the original Jets. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
