Their eldest son, Matt, graduated from Odebolt-Arthur in the spring of 1996.  A friend of his was going to enroll at NWC, and Matt decided he would, too.  Wrestling in college was not part of Matt’s original plan, but the sport was in his blood.  His dad was his high school coach, and each of his three brothers wrestled.  He didn’t know it at the time, but he was paving the way for Aaron, Micah, Isaac and their sister, Audra, to attend Northwestern.

Matt wrestled for Head Coach Paul Bartlett for three years, deciding not to go out his senior season.  That was his brother Aaron’s rookie year.  Aaron, who also played football for the Red Raiders, was joined a year later by Micah.  Micah didn’t wrestle at Northwestern, but he was a member of the football team.  Isaac, now a senior, came two years after Micah.  He, too, wrestles and plays football.  Last, but not least, is Audra, a sophomore.  She came two years after Isaac and serves as Northwestern’s wrestling manager, something she did at Odebolt-Arthur as well. 

The Schmidt brothers were successful wrestlers in high school.  Three of the four qualified for the state tournament at least once, and Aaron qualified twice.  At Northwestern, Aaron earned All-American honors, and Isaac has twice qualified for the national tournament.

While the Schmidts have added to the athletic prowess of Northwestern’s wrestling program, those who have graduated have also enhanced it in other ways.  Matt, a 2000 alumnus, is Northwestern’s head athletic trainer and serves as the primary athletic trainer for the wrestling team.  Aaron has been the assistant wrestling coach for the Red Raiders since he graduated in ’03. 

Since Isaac is a senior, this will be the last year Coach Bartlett gets to enjoy having four of the five siblings on his squad.  “In an odd way, they’re like a team of their own.  Their involvement has had a substantial impact on the program,” he says.

Bartlett credits Alan and Kim for the qualities their children possess.  “The Schmidts are a classical Midwest family.  They embody responsibility and value a strong work ethic.” 

Of course, siblings will be siblings.  “Sometimes they overstep their boundaries with each other,” Bartlett says. 

Each of the Schmidts has brought a different element to the wrestling program at Northwestern––and helped to represent it well.  “They have been ambassadors for what Northwestern and the Red Raider wrestling program stand for.”