Friday, January 26, 2018

Part of a regular series.

Throughout the year, GNACsports.com uses this space to profile conference student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. Collectively, it is these individuals who make the GNAC one of the top NCAA Division II athletic conferences in the nation.

Name: Gina Schmidt
Sport: Volleyball
School: Simon Fraser
Hometown: Beaverlodge, Alberta

Colleges Attended & Degrees: Oregon State University (Undergraduate, Business Administration)

Why Did You Become A Coach: I initially became a coach because volleyball was such a big part of my life and I didn't know what else to do after I retired from playing. Now coaching is much more than just a job for me. I find it fulfilling to give back to the sport that I love and to be a role model and mentor for my student-athletes.

Who Has Influenced You The Most As A Coach - Either As An Inspiration, A Mentor Or Philosophically: Probably a combination of all of my previous coaches. Not just in volleyball, in which I had over 30 different head coaches from a variety of countries, but also from other sports that I played when I was younger. I think I learned a bit of something from all of them in terms of what works well and also what things aren't as effective.

What Does Division II Mean To You: Division II is a great balance of highly competitive athletics and quality education.

Extracurricular Activities: I love hiking, running, badminton, tennis and I play in a women's ice hockey league.

Best Advice You’d Give To Student-Athletes: Enjoy the process and make time for sleep.

If You Could Spend The Day With One Person (Past Or Present), Who Would It Be (And Why): John Wooden. One day probably wouldn't even be enough time to pick his brain for all his coaching knowledge.

Favorite Sports Team: Other than any SFU team, probably the Edmonton Oilers.

Favorite Athlete: All my players at SFU. Maybe it's a bit cliché but student-athletes have a lot of university options to choose from. I appreciate everyone who is willing to take a chance on our program and commit to what we're trying to accomplish at SFU.

Most Memorable Sports-Related Moment: Any chance I've had to represent Canada either as a player or as a coach.