Sigi Schmid facts for kids

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Sigi Schmid

Schmid after a Sounders match in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Siegfried Schmid
Date of birth	(1953-03-20)March 20, 1953
Place of birth	Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Date of death	December 25, 2018(2018-12-25) (aged 65)
Place of death	Los Angeles, California, United States
Playing position	Midfielder
Teams managed
Years	Team
1980–1999	UCLA Bruins
1998–1999	United States U20
1999–2004	LA Galaxy
2005	United States U20
2006–2008	Columbus Crew
2009–2016	Seattle Sounders FC
2017–2018	LA Galaxy

Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid (March 20, 1953 – December 25, 2018) was a German-American soccer coach. He holds the record for the most wins in the history of Major League Soccer (MLS).

Sigi was born in Tübingen, West Germany. He moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1972 to 1975. He was a starting midfielder in all four of his years there.

After playing, Schmid coached his former college team, the UCLA Bruins, from 1980 to 1999. He became one of the most successful college coaches ever. He led the Bruins to 322 wins, 63 losses, and 33 draws. His team made it to the playoffs 16 times in a row from 1983 to 1998. They won the national championship three times: in 1985, 1990, and 1997. Schmid also worked with U.S. Soccer during the 1990s.

Later, Schmid coached the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Columbus Crew in MLS. He then became the head coach of Seattle Sounders in 2009. Even though he never played soccer professionally, he has the most coaching wins in MLS history. He won the MLS Coach of the Year Award in 1999 and 2008.

People often praised Schmid for finding new talented players. His defensive strategies were also highly respected. They were often seen as a key reason for his success.

After winning the MLS Cup with Columbus in 2008, Schmid became the first head coach for the new Seattle Sounders team. From 2009 to 2016, Schmid led the Sounders to seven playoff appearances. They also won four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles. In 2014, they won an MLS Supporters' Shield.

After some tough games in 2016, Schmid left the Sounders. He was replaced by Brian Schmetzer. Schmid then joined ESPN as a TV analyst. In 2017, he returned to coach the Los Angeles Galaxy. He resigned from that role in September 2018.

Schmid had degrees in Economics and Business from UCLA. He and his wife had four children. Sigi Schmid passed away on December 25, 2018, after being in the hospital for a heart-related condition.

Early Life and Playing Days

Sigi Schmid was born in Tübingen, West Germany, on March 20, 1953. When he was four, his family moved to the United States. They settled in Torrance, California, in 1962. Sigi's father, Fritz, worked at a brewing company. His mother, Doris, ran a German deli in Los Angeles. Sigi helped out at the deli on weekends.

At home, Schmid's family spoke German. This made him feel connected to his German roots. He started school in the U.S. with little English. He also had a stuttering speech problem, which he overcame in high school. As a child, Schmid visited Germany every summer. He played soccer with local kids and watched professional teams. In 1964, Schmid played for one of the first American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) teams. He was later added to the AYSO Hall of Fame in 1996.

Schmid's parents wanted him to focus on business, not soccer. He started at UCLA in 1972. He was a starting midfielder for the UCLA Bruins from 1972 to 1975. In his first two years, the Bruins were national runners-up in the championships. They reached the national semifinals in 1974. In his final year, Schmid was chosen for the 1975 All Far-West team. He finished his UCLA playing career ranked 11th in all-time assists.

He earned his economics degree in 1976. He later got a business degree from the University of Southern California.

Coaching Career Highlights

UCLA and U.S. Youth Teams

Schmid's first coaching job was in 1975 at Bishop Montgomery High School. He also started a small club called the South Bay Vikings. From 1977 to 1979, he was an assistant coach at UCLA. Schmid became the head coach in 1980. He started coaching full-time before the 1984 season. Soccer America magazine named him "Coach of the Year."

UCLA won the 1985 NCAA Division I championship. They beat American University 1–0 after eight periods of overtime. In his first 10 years, the Bruins won or tied 85 percent of their games.

The Bruins won the 1990 national championship. They beat Rutgers 4–3 in a penalty kick tie-breaker. UCLA outscored their opponents 61–16 that season. Schmid was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year three years in a row (1995–97). He also won NCAA Coach of the Year in 1997. This was after UCLA beat the University of Virginia for their third NCAA championship.

Schmid coached at UCLA for 19 seasons. He had a record of 322 wins, 63 losses, and 33 draws. His teams made 16 straight playoff appearances. He was known for developing great goalkeepers like David Vanole, Brad Friedel, and Matt Reis. By 1994, he had coached 16 UCLA players who later joined the U.S. national team. Schmid preferred to recruit players from California. He believed they were creative and good at attacking.

While at UCLA, Schmid also worked with the U.S. national team. He was an assistant coach for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Five of his UCLA players were on that national team. He also coached the U.S. Under-20 national team in 1998. His team focused on defensive strategies. They did well in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship. Schmid returned to coach the U-20 team in 2005. A national team forward, Eric Wynalda, praised Schmid's organized defense. Schmid was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 2004.

Leading the LA Galaxy

Schmid left UCLA to become head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy in 1999. The team was struggling. Under Schmid, the Galaxy improved greatly, finishing with the second-best record in the league. They won their conference, and Schmid earned the MLS Coach of the Year Award. The team's captain, Robin Fraser, credited Schmid's focus on defense. Los Angeles lost the MLS Cup that year.

In 2000, Schmid led Los Angeles to the playoffs. The team also won the 2000 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. This competition features top clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

His 2001 team played an exciting attacking style. They won their conference and the U.S. Open Cup. In 2002, the Galaxy won the Supporters' Shield for having the best regular season record. Schmid was praised for his smart defensive changes. He also brought in Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz, who won the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. The team won its first MLS Cup that year.

In 2003, the team had a losing season. They struggled to score goals. Fans and the media wondered if Schmid would stay. He remained as coach, expecting to rebuild the team. In 2004, Schmid was fired midway through the season. The team was in first place but had a five-game winless streak. The general manager wanted a more exciting team. Schmid left with a strong overall record.

Success with Columbus Crew

Schmid in 2008

Schmid returned to MLS in 2006 as coach of the Columbus Crew. The team had young talent but lacked depth. After a tough start, Schmid considered resigning. The team finished last in their conference.

By 2007, Schmid had rebuilt the team. He brought in Argentine attacker Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Schelotto's contributions helped Columbus improve. However, they still missed the playoffs.

The Crew's performance greatly improved in the 2008 season. Schmid changed their offensive strategies to focus on ball possession. He made Schelotto a key player in a creative role. Schelotto excelled and was named the league's MVP. On April 26, Schmid became the second MLS coach to win 100 regular-season games. The Crew went on to win the Supporters' Shield. In the playoffs, Columbus won the MLS Cup. Schmid received the Coach of the Year Award for the second time.

Schmid did not renew his contract with Columbus after the 2008 season. He became the coach of the Seattle Sounders.

Building the Seattle Sounders

Schmid was named the first coach of the new Seattle Sounders FC team. In their first season in 2009, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup. On October 24, 2009, Schmid earned his 125th MLS regular season win. This made him the coach with the most wins in MLS history. He led Seattle to the playoffs. Seattle was the first expansion team to make the playoffs in their first season since 1998.

Schmid and a member of his staff before a 2010 U.S. Open Cup match

The team started the 2010 MLS season slowly due to player injuries. The 2010 U.S. Open Cup ended with Schmid winning his third championship. No MLS team had won back-to-back Open Cups before. The Sounders improved in the second half of the season and made the playoffs.

In 2011, Schmid signed a long-term contract extension. The Sounders finished the regular season with the second-best record. They qualified for the playoffs for the third year in a row. Schmid again led his club to the U.S. Open Cup final. They won it for the third time in a row, a first since 1968.

Schmid in 2011

In 2012, Seattle reached the Open Cup finals but lost. The team finished the regular season with a good record. They made the playoffs and reached the conference championship.

The Sounders struggled at the start of the 2013 regular season. They were knocked out of the Open Cup early. The team improved during the middle of the season. However, they ended the season with a seven-match winless streak. Many fans wanted Schmid fired. The team owner decided to make changes to the squad instead.

Schmid met with key players like Osvaldo Alonso, Clint Dempsey, and Brad Evans. They agreed on changes for the team. New players were brought in. In 2014, the Sounders won the US Open Cup and the Supporters' Shield.

In 2016, the Sounders did not play well in the first half of the season. After a tough loss on July 24, Schmid left the club by mutual agreement. He was replaced by assistant coach Brian Schmetzer. After leaving the Sounders, Schmid joined ESPN as a TV analyst.

Return to LA Galaxy

On July 27, 2017, the LA Galaxy named Schmid as their new coach. The team had been struggling. Schmid's first match with the Galaxy in 2017 was a tie. The team only won two more matches that season. They finished in last place, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Schmid was given more power over player decisions. He aimed to build a "winning" team for the 2018 season. The Galaxy changed many players. They also signed star striker Zlatan Ibrahimović. Schmid hoped Ibrahimović would have a "positive impact."

The Galaxy started the 2018 season with some player injuries. They won an exciting first match against Los Angeles FC. Ibrahimović made his debut and led the team to a 4–3 win. The Galaxy then had a tough period but later went on a nine-match unbeaten streak. However, they then struggled again. Schmid resigned from the Galaxy on September 10, 2018. He was replaced by assistant coach Dominic Kinnear.

Personal Life and Legacy

Sigi Schmid lived in Bellevue, Washington, during the soccer season. He was married to Valerie Schmid and had four children: Erik, Lacey, Kurt, and Kyle. His son Kurt was a scout for the Sounders and worked for the L.A. Galaxy. His son Kyle played college soccer and is now a head coach at Loyola Marymount University. Schmid rarely missed games. He took time off for his children's weddings and graduations. His younger brother, Roland, lived nearby. Having family in the area was one reason Schmid took the Seattle job. After leaving the Galaxy in 2018, Schmid planned to work in a club's front office or write a book.

Schmid had some health issues later in his career. These issues played a role in his decision to retire from the LA Galaxy in 2018. He was hospitalized on December 10, 2018, in Los Angeles. Sigi Schmid passed away on December 25, 2018, at the age of 65. A memorial service was held in Manhattan Beach, California, in January 2019.

Schmid is seen as one of the most important figures in American soccer. Many coaches and players he worked with have praised his contributions. On January 11, 2019, MLS renamed its Coach of the Year Award to the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award. This was done to honor his impact on the league.

Coaching Achievements

Coaching Statistics

Honors

College

• College Cup: 1985, 1990, 1997

Professional

• CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2000
• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
• MLS Supporters' Shield: 2002, 2008, 2014
• MLS Cup: 2002, 2008

Individual Awards

• National Soccer Hall of Fame: 2015
• NCAA Coach of the Year: 1997
• MLS Coach of the Year Award: 1999, 2008
• UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame inductee: 1996

See also

In Spanish: Sigi Schmid para niños

• List of Major League Soccer coaches