The number of former NBS players and coaches now coaching at the Division one level got a little bigger yesterday. Kaitlyn Schmid formerly of Howell High School has joined the Wagner coaching staff.
The hardest thing for any new head coach to do is put together a quality coaching staff. In hiring Kaitlyn Schmid, who was the grad assistant at Mississippi State last year. Head Coach Jacob’s is getting a relentless worker. Schmid for my money was the best on ball defender these eyes has ever seen. It was her work ethic back in her high school days that separated her from so many other bigger and more athletic players. This work ethic will now serve her well. Her father was a successful college coach for years and now his daughter has followed in his footsteps.
I am happy to see so many former NBS coaches move on to coach at the college level. But in the case of Kaitlyn Schmid I am not remotely surprised. She is one of the smartest players to ever attend NBS. It’s no surprise that when she went to University of Sciences she broke the national assist to turnover record. Not for D2 but for all divisions (4.25) with 138 dimes and only 28 turnovers. Folks that’s sick, but only if you don’t know Kaitlyn Schmid. The first thing the Wagner fan base will learn about Kaitlyn Schmid is that she will leave no rock unturned. But more importantly she is one of the most competitive people I have ever known. It will carry over to recruiting…TRUST ME!
Coach Jacobs is off to what can only be called an amazing start to her D1 head coaching career. First she hired former Providence assistant coach Dario Hernandez. This was a brilliant hire, not because she was getting an assistant coach with mega experience. But rather because Hernandez not only started his coaching career with Coach Jacobs at Adelphi University, he also knows the NEC inside and out. He was an assistant coach at NEC powerhouse St. Francis of PA. He is also from Corona, Queens and I grew in Bland Projects right around the corner….that’s makes him OK with me…LOL
In Kaitlyn Schmid and Hernandez, Coach Jacobs and Wagner have two coaches with mega contacts to the real power brokers on the east coach. Heather Jacobs has now put Wagner in position to do some great things in the coming years. Wagner College’s entire recruiting class is in tack after the coaching change. Non bigger than Kelly Crouch who could have very easily moved on. The good news is their are no less that 5 current players on the Wagner roster, her new trusty assistant, coach Kaitlyn Schmid has a relationship from her days at NBS. It will serve Wagner well on and off the court. It also will be a home run when it comes to recruiting. While the leading scorer in the country is not returning to Wagner , I can tell you it was time for both to part ways. I have no doubt both the player and Wagner have benefited from her not returning.
There are now over 20 former NBS coaches at the D1 ranks alone. The schools range from Big 10 to Big East school, NEC to MAC, Patriot to D2 and D3 schools. I sooo proud to know to each and every one of them. I have to be honest and say; of all of them I expected Kaitlyn Schmid to be a college coach. It’s in was in her genes and I saw it the day I met her. She will be loyal to a fault, she will never be out worked and most of all …. she will bet on herself more than anything else. How do I know this? Because she has always had to believe in herself, every step of the way, because she was always the underdog….good luck on your journey COACH SCHMID…
QUICK THOUGHT
I think it great to see schools hire D2/D3 coaches at the D1 level. Years ago coaches could work their way up the coaching ranks. They would learn their craft and with success get a better job. Now days its about winning the press conference. Many head jobs go to coaches from outside their organizations who have never called a time out. because of who they worked for. I can tell you Heather Jacobs will get it done at Wagner. Why? Because she has been in the hot seat and knows how to do more with less!
