Elijah "Bear" Smith is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Willamette University baseball team. Smith wil coach Willamette's infielder's and will also be the Bearcats' hitting coach.

His coaching experience began in 2019-20, when he served as a head coach and instructor for BayArea Travel through the Head First Baseball Foundation in Pleasanton, California. He coordinated baseball camps, as well as providing private lessons and instruction, while also working as the program's infield coordinator.

Beginning in 2021, he began coaching as the director of operations with NorCal Elite in the California Warriors First Base Foundation in Mill Valley, California. He managed games and coordinated travel and schedules. He also formed rosters and contributed to player development. He was the recruiting coordinator and was involved with the group's community service.

From 2021 through 2023, Smith was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the Academic of Art University. He helped guide the Urban Knights to their first postseason berth in school history in 2021. He was the infield instructor and the hitting instructor.

Smith began his collegiate playing career at the University of California, Berkeley, where he redshirted during the 2016 season. He played at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, in 2018 and 2019. He was an All-PacWest Conference selection during both years and was named All-West Region in 2019.

Also in 2019, he was a team captain as chosen as the Urban Knights' Most Valuable Player. He set Academy of Art single season records for doubles, triples, and OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage). Smith graduated from the Academy of Art University in 2019 with a major in Communications and Media Technologies.