EUREKA — For over 40 years, the Schmidt family has been at the heart and soul of Eureka wrestling. And now the youngest of the bunch, Timothy Schmidt, has a chance for his third state title.
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If you look in any direction in the Eureka wrestling room, you can see that the name Schmidt has made an impact on almost everyone who has come through there.
Timothy Schmidt grew up among wrestling greatness for Eureka, which includes 11 members of his direct and extended family.
“We're not just wrestling in this room,” Schmidt said. “Every time my family comes home, we're having wrestling matches at our house and our carpets, and it's just, wrestling has become part of the family.”
Between Schmidt and his family members, there have been 11 state championships and 35 places at the state tournament.
Having already won two individual state titles himself, it is safe to say he feels a responsibility to uphold his family’s legacy.
“It definitely motivates me,” Schmidt said. “It puts these shoes that I have to fill, almost — not have to fill, but I get the chance to, and it's something that definitely pushes me.”
Even with Schmidt's impressive individual accomplishments, the main focus in his senior year is to uplift the rest of the team after the Lions took third at state last year.
His coach, Danny Lemer, said Schmidt has taken the mantle of being the team leader seriously.
“Humble champion. He doesn't take it for granted,” Lemer said. “He comes in, he works, he studies his opponents a lot. The younger kids look up to him just because of all the success that he has, which drives them to try harder and be better.”
Even with a big team goal in mind, Schmidt is still looking to end his high school career on a high note, like many of his family members before him.
“It's hard to get in here every day and work hard and get myself to eat healthy and clean,” Schmidt said. “So I guess that end goal of just that one more state title and that just pushes me.”
