smith grew up in sackville, new brunswick. she won two provincial junior championships, in 1990 as a third for krista smith and in 1991 as a skip. at the 1990 canadian junior curling championships, the team finished with a 5-5 record in 5th place. however, smith-dacey won the 1991 canadian junior curling championships. after the round robin, the team finished third with an 8-3 record. however, the team won both the semifinal match against alberta's tara brandt and then in the final against manitoba's jill staub. it would be the first women's junior title for new brunswick. smith and her team of denise cormier, susanne leblanc and lesley hicks were off the 1992 world junior curling championships in oberstdorf, germany. at the world juniors, the team finished in 5th place with a 5-4 record.