Twenty-five years ago on October 22, 1988, Mississippi State University made the great choice of hiring Al Schmidt to become the head coach of the MSU track and field program.  Fast forward through those twenty-five years, on October 31, 2013, Schmidt decided it was finally time to step down on his illustrious coaching career.
             Schmidt has been coaching track and field for 40 years, and 25 of those years have been at MSU.  When asked what made him finally decided to retire, Schmidt simply said it was finally time.
            “I’ve had a great time coaching this sport I love.” Schmidt said.  “When you’ve been coaching for as long as I have, you eventually know it’s going to come to an end at some point.  Nothing lasts forever in life although sometimes we may want it to.”
            Schmidt has had a prolific coaching career and has experienced success at every program he has stopped along the way.
            Prior to arriving at MSU, Schmidt was at Florida State University, where he served as an assistant men’s track coach and the head cross country coach.  While at FSU, he led the Lady Seminoles to two consecutive national titles in 1984 and 1985.  With already having two national titles on his resume, Schmidt brought his same winning ways to MSU where he would continue to have the same success. 
            Under Schmidt’s guidance, he has coached 39 All-Americans, 35 SEC champions and four individual NCAA titles, but that’s not it. His coaching did not just stop on the track; he also made sure his players excelled in the classroom as well. In his last year as head coach, Schmidt had a school record of 208 athletes who were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. 
            While many coaches only coach for the accolades and the glory, Schmidt said the accolades were not his main focus.
             “I enjoy being able to take someone from ground zero and build him or her all the way up to Mt. Everest,” he said.  “I want to make sure everyone that I coach maximizes their full potential as an athlete, and if I don’t help them reach their full potential, then I have failed as a coach.”
            Schmidt has changed the culture of the track and field program ever since he arrived in 1988. He builds personal relationships with each and every one of his athletes.  Katie Huston, senior distance runner and Huntsville, Ala., native, said Coach Schmidt is the number one reason why she chose to come to MSU.
            “I wasn’t thinking about the South. I was trying to go up North,” Huston said.  “He made a visit to my high school, and I really wasn’t interested, but then he and my mom convinced me to go on a visit, and I just fell in love with how committed he was to the sport and to his athletes.”
            Those who know Schmidt best describe him as caring, supportive and always willing to go over and beyond his call of duty to make sure everything is right.
            Houston Franks, MSU track and field assistant coach, ran for Coach Schmidt and coached alongside him. Franks said he could not even begin to describe the impact that Schmidt has had on his career.
            “There’s no question I would not be where I am at this point without him,” Franks said. “I couldn’t even begin to describe the amount of knowledge I’ve gained from him, both on the track and in my personal life.”
            Schmidt takes his relationships with his athletes further than just player and coach. Huston said she considers Schmidt to be one of her friends.           
            “I’ll call him up before my races or call him after my races and ask him what did he think of my performance. I value what he has to say; whatever coach says goes,” she said.
            Even though Coach Schmidt is stepping down from the head coaching spot, he will still be around the team. He will now take on the roll as the volunteer assistant, where he will still help out and be apart of the team.
            With now having 25 years of coaching in the books at MSU, Franks said success and longevity is how he thinks Schmidt’s legacy will be remembered.
            “He’s been coaching here for 25 years, and in today’s world of coaching, that’s very rare,” Franks said. “Everyone who has been apart of this program since he has been here until now will leave here knowing they’re a better person just from being around him.”