Indiana University Athletics
Student Spotlight: Kim Schmider
11/21/2016 10:26:00 AM | General, Women's Tennis, Student-Athlete Services
BLOOMINGTON, ind. - Kim Schmider's tennis beginnings speak volumes about her competitive nature.
She was a six year-old girl growing up in Cheshire, a 45-minute drive from both Liverpool and Manchester. As a youngster, Schmider was happy riding her bicycle around the tennis court while her parents and brother played on the court, until one day she decided that she wanted to try tennis out for herself.
It didn't take long after that day for her to become a state success.
"You'd think that, like a lot of siblings, he'd be jealous of that, but he's so supportive," Schmider said. "He was even my coach since I was about 13 or 14. I didn't want to have to pay all that money for coaching, and my brother was good so he helped me as a coach for three or four years."
Schmider's youth career took off like a rocket. She was an ace at age 10, and ascended to the top-ranked girl's player in the United Kingdom in high school. "It was cool," she said. "It helped me get the scholarship here, but at the same time, it set the expectations pretty high for me."
When it came time to look for a college to extend her tennis career, and further her academic endeavors, Schmider looked to her longtime friend Josh McTaggart. Like Schmider, McTaggart was a state champion in Cheshire and attended Indiana University. Before he graduated, McTaggart put Schmider in contact with head women's tennis coach Lin Loring.
Schmider considers it a blessing that Josh was able to connect her to Loring, who has served as Indiana's head coach for 39 years and holds the NCAA women's tennis coaching record with 831 career wins.
"It's cool working with someone so well respected in IU athletics, and I like how he's so relaxed," Schmider said. "I hear stories about some coaches being too intense and taking the wrong route, but he's always been fair and relaxed. I like him a lot."
Coming to Indiana for tennis meant that her other sports, netball and field hockey, had to give way. It was tough, since she loved the team aspect of both of those sports, but took comfort in the fact that collegiate tennis adds a team element to an otherwise individual sport. It's also allowed Schmider the ability to hone her craft at one sport with the shift in focus.
"I've always been a slice-and-dice player with a good drop shot, not the most conventional female tennis player," Schmider said. "Coach (Loring) used those strengths to develop my doubles game. I was always okay at doubles, but now I feel like my doubles game has improved a lot faster than my singles game."
The life of a college tennis player has changed Schmider's focus off the court as well, specifically in the classroom. She's had a disciplined approach to her studies since she was in high school, but attending Indiana University has pushed Schmider to a new level. In the last two semesters, Schmider has achieved a 4.0 grade-point average, and has maintained some of the highest marks across IU Athletics.
"Before I came to college I was pretty studious, but nowhere near the degree I'm at now," said Schmider. "When I came in, my team at the time had won the Herbert Cup 13 out of 15 semesters, and we felt some pressure to continue winning the award. The seniors and juniors were extremely good role models, as they were always studying. They kind of changed me in a good way, an inspiration to continue working hard in my academics."
Schmider is also heavily involved in the many extra-curricular initiatives offered in IU's Excellence Academy, including the Hoosier HEROES mentorship program and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She also took up membership with Girls Inc., a nonprofit designed to provide girls with access to sports they otherwise wouldn't have.
It's a fitting cause for Schmider, given her background in athletics.
"People tend to think of tennis as an upper-class sport, but I've never seen it that way," she said. "I was always given a lot of opportunities, especially being at a Big Ten school with all we receive. It makes you appreciate it, and it shows how other people don't get those opportunities. It makes me want to help them."
Schmider has big plans after graduation. A sports marketing and management major with an outstanding academic profile, she hopes to continue a professional career on the other side of the sports spectrum.
"My sporting career has been so important to me since I was 10 years old, but I have to be realistic," Schmider said, reflecting on the importance of her studies. "I'm not going to become a professional player, so I have to focus on the long term as well. Being a student in college athletics taught me how to manage my time efficiently."
Schmider is ready to see what the future holds, but it will be hard for her to leave Bloomington. Although IU is nearly 4,000 miles away from her home in Cheshire, the team and the people she's met at Indiana have made Bloomington feel like a home away from home.
"I really don't see it as that different to the United Kingdom, but everyone is really nice and accepting even though I'm an international," Schmider said. "My team is like my family here, so they make it easier to be so far away from home and enjoy the experience."
She was a six year-old girl growing up in Cheshire, a 45-minute drive from both Liverpool and Manchester. As a youngster, Schmider was happy riding her bicycle around the tennis court while her parents and brother played on the court, until one day she decided that she wanted to try tennis out for herself.
It didn't take long after that day for her to become a state success.
"You'd think that, like a lot of siblings, he'd be jealous of that, but he's so supportive," Schmider said. "He was even my coach since I was about 13 or 14. I didn't want to have to pay all that money for coaching, and my brother was good so he helped me as a coach for three or four years."
Schmider's youth career took off like a rocket. She was an ace at age 10, and ascended to the top-ranked girl's player in the United Kingdom in high school. "It was cool," she said. "It helped me get the scholarship here, but at the same time, it set the expectations pretty high for me."
When it came time to look for a college to extend her tennis career, and further her academic endeavors, Schmider looked to her longtime friend Josh McTaggart. Like Schmider, McTaggart was a state champion in Cheshire and attended Indiana University. Before he graduated, McTaggart put Schmider in contact with head women's tennis coach Lin Loring.
Schmider considers it a blessing that Josh was able to connect her to Loring, who has served as Indiana's head coach for 39 years and holds the NCAA women's tennis coaching record with 831 career wins.
"It's cool working with someone so well respected in IU athletics, and I like how he's so relaxed," Schmider said. "I hear stories about some coaches being too intense and taking the wrong route, but he's always been fair and relaxed. I like him a lot."
Coming to Indiana for tennis meant that her other sports, netball and field hockey, had to give way. It was tough, since she loved the team aspect of both of those sports, but took comfort in the fact that collegiate tennis adds a team element to an otherwise individual sport. It's also allowed Schmider the ability to hone her craft at one sport with the shift in focus.
"I've always been a slice-and-dice player with a good drop shot, not the most conventional female tennis player," Schmider said. "Coach (Loring) used those strengths to develop my doubles game. I was always okay at doubles, but now I feel like my doubles game has improved a lot faster than my singles game."
The life of a college tennis player has changed Schmider's focus off the court as well, specifically in the classroom. She's had a disciplined approach to her studies since she was in high school, but attending Indiana University has pushed Schmider to a new level. In the last two semesters, Schmider has achieved a 4.0 grade-point average, and has maintained some of the highest marks across IU Athletics.
"Before I came to college I was pretty studious, but nowhere near the degree I'm at now," said Schmider. "When I came in, my team at the time had won the Herbert Cup 13 out of 15 semesters, and we felt some pressure to continue winning the award. The seniors and juniors were extremely good role models, as they were always studying. They kind of changed me in a good way, an inspiration to continue working hard in my academics."
Schmider is also heavily involved in the many extra-curricular initiatives offered in IU's Excellence Academy, including the Hoosier HEROES mentorship program and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She also took up membership with Girls Inc., a nonprofit designed to provide girls with access to sports they otherwise wouldn't have.
It's a fitting cause for Schmider, given her background in athletics.
"People tend to think of tennis as an upper-class sport, but I've never seen it that way," she said. "I was always given a lot of opportunities, especially being at a Big Ten school with all we receive. It makes you appreciate it, and it shows how other people don't get those opportunities. It makes me want to help them."
Schmider has big plans after graduation. A sports marketing and management major with an outstanding academic profile, she hopes to continue a professional career on the other side of the sports spectrum.
"My sporting career has been so important to me since I was 10 years old, but I have to be realistic," Schmider said, reflecting on the importance of her studies. "I'm not going to become a professional player, so I have to focus on the long term as well. Being a student in college athletics taught me how to manage my time efficiently."
Schmider is ready to see what the future holds, but it will be hard for her to leave Bloomington. Although IU is nearly 4,000 miles away from her home in Cheshire, the team and the people she's met at Indiana have made Bloomington feel like a home away from home.
"I really don't see it as that different to the United Kingdom, but everyone is really nice and accepting even though I'm an international," Schmider said. "My team is like my family here, so they make it easier to be so far away from home and enjoy the experience."
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
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