The entire soccer community is mourning the loss of American soccer legend Sigi Schmid. The winningest coach in MLS history passed away on Dec. 25 at the age of 65.
Memorial services for Schmid will take place this Friday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m. PST at American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach, Calif. There will be a live stream for those unable to attend, it can be found at https://livestream.com/americanmartyrs.
The German-born Schmid was a star midfielder at UCLA in the mid-1970s and coached youth soccer in Los Angeles before becoming an assistant at his alma mater in 1977. He took over as head coach of the Bruins in 1980 and amassed 322 wins over a 19-year career at UCLA, leading the Bruins to three national championships. His .810 winning percentage is the sixth-best mark in NCAA Division I history.
Schmid took over as head coach of the LA Galaxy in 1999, beginning a long and successful career at the top level of American soccer. He had coaching stints with the Galaxy (1999-2004), Columbus Crew (2006-08), Seattle Sounders (2009-16) and a second stint with the Galaxy (2017-18). He won the 2002 MLS Cup title with the Galaxy and captured the 2008 title with Columbus. He compiled 240 regular seasons wins during that time, reaching the MLS Cup Playoffs 13 times and recording 28 playoff wins. He is one of two coaches in MLS history to lead two different teams to MLS Cup titles. His teams won three MLS Supporters’ Shields, five U.S. Open Cups and he was twice named MLS Coach of the Year. The league has announced that its Coach of the Year award will now be known as the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award.
Schmid also served as the Chair of the United Soccer Coaches Professional Coaches Advocacy Group. It was in this role where he advocated on behalf of all coaches, head coaches and assistants, throughout all levels of professional soccer.
“When (past president) Lesle Gallimore asked him to take on the role as chair of the Professional Coaches Advocacy Group for United Soccer Coaches, he stepped right up,” said United Soccer Coaches CEO Lynn Berling-Manuel. “His gratitude for his own career made him even more supportive of his coaching colleagues of today and those yet to come. It’s hard to imagine MLS without him.”
Schmid spent time with U.S. Soccer, serving as an assistant coach at the 1994 World Cup and two stints as the U.S. U-20 National Team head coach.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of American coaching icon, Sigi Schmid,” said United Soccer Coaches President Lesle Gallimore in a statement. “My deepest and most heartfelt condolences to his wife, Valerie and the entire Schmid family. I grew up in the South Bay and had my first encounter with a young Sigi when I was in the 8th grade and was one of two girls at Golden West Soccer camp at Pepperdine in the summer of 1977. Sigi was one of the coaches and along with other coaching legends in the making, I now know how fortunate I was to have met this man. Sigi, his brother Roland, and his father Fritz pioneered soccer in the area where I grew up and it was never a question as to whether girls & women should play, referee, or coach. The game was for everyone.”
As successful as he was as a coach, many more folks will remember him for being the warm and generous man he was. All one had to do was take a look at social media after his passing to see all the heartfelt messages from fellow coaches, former players and others who crossed paths with him throughout his life.
“Sigi, though seemingly stoic, was a giving and kind-hearted man who included everyone who loved the game as much as he did; to me he was truly larger than life, said Gallimore. “When our Seattle Sounders joined the MLS and Sigi was named as our first manager, I’ve never been so excited to follow a team. After his departure from Seattle we kept in touch and after my UW team suffered a tough loss at UCLA two seasons ago, Sigi popped his head into our team tent after the game to give me his take on the game and encouraged me to stay confident in my ability and insight. He didn’t have to do that, but did.”
In lieu of flowers or other gifts, the family has asked to please consider a tax-deductible memorial gift to support the men’s soccer program at UCLA. Donations may be directed to UCLA Athletics, Attn: Emily Lerner; UCLA Athletics, P.O. Box 24044, Los Angeles CA, 90024. Emily may also be reached via phone (310-206-3302), fax (310-206-2783), or email (elerner@athletics.ucla.edu). Donations can also be submitted online. Please note that your gift is in memory of Sigi Schmid. Checks can be made payable to the UCLA Foundation.
Members of the United Soccer Coaches Board of Directors and a couple coaching colleagues shared their favorite memories of Sigi. They are compiled below.
Warren Mersereau, At-Large Representative
“The story I like to share about Sigi occurred almost 20 years ago. The Southern Conference tournament was being held in the Charleston area, but it was besieged by rain. Instead of being able to use the College of Charleston stadium games had to be moved to a local high school field. There never was a final played. In the one semifinal game that was played, there in the bleachers sat Sigi, in the pouring rain, scouting. While other coaches stayed away due to the bad weather or were attending more prestigious college tournaments elsewhere, Sigi went the extra mile to see Ricardo Clark, Furman’s midfielder, in person. When the MetroStars drafted Clark with the second pick of the 2003 MLS SuperDraft, Sigi’s Galaxy had to move to another player when their turn came. But, that did not matter in terms of Sigi’s commitment to do all he could do to give his team an opportunity to succeed. The point to me was that Sigi cared enough to sit in the rain 3,000 miles from home because that was what it took for him to live up to his standards.”
Andy Haile, At-Large Representative
“As I was headed to one of the evening events at last year’s Convention I happened to walk along the hallway of the Convention Center with Coach Schmid. There aren’t many glory moments in my athletic career, but one of them was when our team beat UCLA in their own tournament back in 1992. Wanting to revel in that past glory, I probed to see if Sigi remembered the game, so I introduced myself and told him that I played for Davidson back in the early 90s and we played against his UCLA team back then. He said, “Oh yeah, you guys beat us 3-1 and deserved to win.” He then went on to ask me what I did now and when I told him I teach tax and business law he seemed to take a genuine interest, presumably because of his own accounting background, and asked me all about my work. Here I was, talking about my career to a guy who has won more soccer games than I’ve even watched. His humility and interest in others was so apparent and disarming that I left the conversation feeling like I’d learned a lesson in how to be a better person. I’m sorry I just got to know him briefly.”
Charlie Slagle, Immediate Past President
“Sigi and I were friends and shared a trip to Cairo, Egypt in the early 90s with the U.S. Olympic Team. Numerous soccer tennis games were played and great stories shared. When Sigi’s UCLA team played in College Cup in Richmond in the 90s, he and the team befriended a young child from the Richmond area and I know that Sigi had kept up with him to this day. A great loss!”
Peter Vermes, Sporting Kansas City Manager
“Sigi gave so much to the sport and influenced all the people who came across his path from players to coaches to management and more. I am going to miss him and our long conversations. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, and Sigi will never be forgotten.”
Lynn Berling-Manuel, United Soccer Coaches CEO
”Sigi was always defined by a wonderful sense of gratitude. He was truly grateful for his wife and sons, his immigrant parents that formed his work ethic, his friends, his players, his colleagues and the opportunities life had presented him. He never seemed to take any of it for granted. He was always available to give a little more. We started together in our soccer careers, he coaching at UCLA and I as an editor at Soccer America. There are often strained moments between journalists and the coaches they cover but it was 40 years, and a number of jobs later for both of us, and I’m proud to still have been able to call him friend.”
Steve Sampson, Head Coach Cal Poly/Former USMNT, LA Galaxy Manager
“Sigi gave me my first Division I start at UCLA and I will never forget that. I owe him for so much and only wish I could have said thank you more often. Sigi served as a mentor for coaches and players. He loved his profession and was incredibly successful, but enjoyed his interaction with his staff and players the most.
He made such a profound impact on soccer in the United States. He helped shape the collegiate and professional game and was incredibly influential in its growth. We have lost a giant in our sport and one whom I personally respected so much. Words cannot express my sadness but I think Sigi would want all of us to carry on, fighting the good fight to push soccer to even greater heights. But I know that he would encourage all of us to enjoy the journey along the way, taking time to show appreciation and love to our players and staff and have balance in our lives.
My life has been blessed to have had the opportunity to interact and work with this man. He will be greatly missed by all of us but his legacy will live on through the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing him. May he rest in peace.”