The restless journey of Matthew David Small began in 1996 upon graduation from Great Bridge High School where he was coached by Steve Martin. Small moved north to Gloucester Community College in New Jersey and qualified for the National Junior College tournament. Circling back to Old Dominion University in 1998, he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice while enjoying success as a 184-pound finalist in two tournaments.

Returning to Great Bridge, he was recognized as Assistant Coach of the Year in 2006. No doubt this praise came from his enthusiasm for coaching at all levels year-round. Small headed up youth programs everywhere he went, both during and after his high school seasons.

In 2007, he successfully launched the wrestling program at the new Grassfield High School, which led him to the head coaching job at Cox High School in 2010 and 2011. At Cox, he came into his own, restoring some the glory that the Falcons had known in previous decades. Small’s wrestlers gave him his first team state championship when they capture the Virginia High School League AAA title in 2010.

Meanwhile, Great Bridge was looking for a product of the Martin years to maintain their lofty status. They found Small in 2012. Patiently rebuilding and reloading, the new coach returned his school to prominence by 2017, winning the Class 4 state championship that year, and again in 2019. He has also won nine district and six regional titles.

During these high-powered years, Small continued to expand his expertise in education while raising his two children, Josey Lee, 13, and Arden June, 3.

A master's degree in special education from Cambridge College in Boston in 2014 opened up new teaching opportunities. A leadership endorsement from Longwood College in 2017 set him up nicely for an administrative position, which happened in 2022 when Small became director of student activities for Great Bridge.

Small received several honors during his career, including being named Beach District Coach of the Year in 2010-11 and Virginia Hall of Fame Coach of the Year in 2011.

It also included the admiration and respect of his colleague and mentor Martin, who says "Over the years, Matthew and I have discussed his career goals, and I have seen him chase down these goals each year on a daily basis. I have seen him succeed over the years as an athlete, a coach, and an administrator.”