Track and field was the only spring sport that was offered in middle school back when Sarah Schmidt was back in the sixth-grade. After liking it, Schmidt followed the sport to high school where she was a standout on the Litchfield team.
Then her senior year came and had to make the ultimate decision about what sport she wanted to carry on into college. That choice obviously became track and field.
“About halfway through my swim season my senior year,” Schmidt said, “I knew that I didn't want to do that for college. So I started thinking more about track and pursuing that in my college search.”
Schmidt's opening season for Carthage College was the one that really helped her shape the rest of her career. Schmidt played with a lot of upperclassman her freshman year. Schmidt qualified for Division III Track and Field National Championship that year, along with three other upperclassman teammates. At nationals, they really helped her know the ropes about what it means to perform at the biggest stage.
“I learned what happens at a national meet,” Schmidt said. “What it looks like to compete on that level. As a team, we got third place with four girls between like seven events. I guess that was my first trophy at the college level. But it was really good to learn from them and see what they did and try to imitate that.”
As the year's gone on and Schmidt became more of a veteran on the team, she knew that someone would have to stand up. Throwing is an independent portion of the track events, but having team chemistry is also key to a successful team. Schmidt said that the upperclassman didn't necessarily help her become a stronger leader over the years, but that they more helped by leading by example. But now she is the upperclassman and has to be the one to lead by example.
“When we didn't have juniors or seniors on the throw team,” Schmidt said. “I tried to facilitate and continue that sort of culture of encouragement and dedication and hard work the best I could.”
Schmidt has improved each of those years as well. Her freshman year, Schmidt qualified for nationals in just the discus. But her sophomore year, she quadrupled that and made four events and then made all five of the events her junior year.
Her proudest moment, however, came in her junior season at the National Championship where she had a shot put throw of 13.94 meters, which set a personal best for Schmidt and set a new school record. The throw also gave her her first individual All-American. Which was especially exciting for her because she said that she wasn't very good at shot put in high school.
So in her final season at Carthage and ready to get more All-American recognition, the team was down in North Carolina getting ready for nationals before they received an announcement.
“We we're less than 24 hours from competing,” Schmidt said. “The announcement was a shock, but also in the 24 hours leading up to that things escalated so quickly. So, I think I expected it... But still, having already practiced and interacted with most of the other athletes there, at that point, we've already been in contact so might as well continue.”
There was sadness followed by anger and then proceeded by more sadness as this is the end of her college career. The news was still a shock to the team as in less than 12 hours, the team was packed up and on a plane back to Wisconsin.
Schmidt is still has some anger about how the situation was handled.
“If I could have one thing,” she said. “It would be a formal apology from the NCAA to all athletes. Just to say that 'hey we're sorry that your seasons were cut short or cancelled.' Especially for the seniors that you know, you're done.”
But Schmidt's biggest achievement throughout her four years is that she has been named to the all-academic team each year. She loves learning and will always take the opportunity to learn more. She takes a lot of pride in her academics.
“What I've learned and experienced at school has made a better person,” Schmidt said. “Both individually and as an athlete.”
Schmidt had already planned on not being at the graduation ceremony as she expected to be in North Carolina for the National Championship. She was hoping to be a part of the senior festivities during the final week, but the school extended is distance learning dates.
“I definitely have less sadness and disappointment then a lot of my classmates do,” Schmidt said. “But we're always looking forward to walking across that stage. But it's still, it's still sad.”
Schmidt will go on to more schooling to get her master's degree, so she will be able to eventually walk across a stage. But this one is different because she has been around for the last four years and now it's just going to end.
It's been a long four years for Schmidt and has gone on for a long journey, not just in athletics but in academics. She has some people that she especially admires that she wanted to give a special shout out to close our her career.
“I have to give a lot of credit to both my professors and coaches,” Schmidt said. “They've encouraged me and pushed me all four years and I'm really thankful for all of them.”
