When Kerry Schmid was spiking volleyball shots and going up for layups as an athlete at Msgr. Scanlan High School she had no idea that she would spend her career in Catholic Athletics. An athletic director for more than 30 years, she has also spent countless seasons as a coach of a number of different sports.
Currently, the secretary of the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA), Ms. Schmid handles all the communications for the association which is part of the New York Archdiocese. She also serves as the chairperson for Tier 3, where SCA competes.
“I started out doing all these things because I had a very positive high school experience,” she says. “I saw people do positive things for me and I wanted to give back and help others have a good experience in athletics.”
Ms. Schmid, who was a two sport athlete at Msgr. Scanlan High School, also swam as a freshman at Iona University, formerly Iona College. She says one of the goals of the CHSAA is to give athletes at all levels a chance to participate in sports. Some have opportunities to play in college. Some play for the love of the sport while in high school.
She pointed out that being an athletic director is a year-round job. Sports begin in August before classes begin and end when the last sport of the spring season ends in May. By June schedules for the next year are already being created.
Ms. Schmid encourages others to become coaches, referees and athletic directors. “If you had a great experience, help the next generation have the same experience.”