{"id":1363,"date":"2023-09-19T17:47:28","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T22:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=1363"},"modified":"2025-05-12T12:52:33","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T17:52:33","slug":"2023-blue-kc-coaches-with-character-honoree-megan-schmidt-month-of-september","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/community-and-culture\/sports-partnerships-community-and-culture\/2023-blue-kc-coaches-with-character-honoree-megan-schmidt-month-of-september\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 Blue KC Coaches with Character Honoree Megan Schmidt \u2013 month of September"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Blue KC and the \u201cC\u201d You in the Major Leagues Foundation<\/strong><\/a> have announced Sumner Academy<\/a><\/strong> coach<\/em> Megan Schmidt as the Blue KC Coaches with Character honoree for September. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) and the \u201cC\u201d You in the Major Leagues (CYITML) Foundation have announced Sumner Academy of Arts & Sciences girls\u2019 tennis, basketball, and soccer coach, Megan Schmidt, as the Blue KC Coaches with Character honoree for the month of September. As a multi-sport coach for the past six years, Schmidt has navigated its many challenges to perfection, all while continuing to provide top-notch care, teaching & coaching to her student-athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When she was contacted about helping coach the girl\u2019s tennis program, Schmidt had zero tennis experience, but showed no hesitation toward diving in with a positive attitude and optimistic outlook on the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was able to build that program up to almost 30 girls and grew to love the sport myself,\u201d said Schmidt. \u201cIn an attempt to gain family support for the tennis program, I started a senior\/alumni end-of-season cookout. By the second year we had more than 50 people attend, including about a dozen Sumner Academy alumni members who returned to show their support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schmidt is also an assistant coach for the girls\u2019 basketball and soccer programs, but she isn\u2019t stopping there! After learning about the growth of girls\u2019 flag football in this region, she\u2019s taken on the project of starting a flag football program at Sumner Academy. While currently in its beginning stages of building a team and locating opponents, significant progress is being made toward unveiling yet another yet <\/s>sporting opportunity for girls at Sumner Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy school is unique in that it is a magnet school that pulls in students from all over Wyandotte County,\u201d said Schmidt. \u201cOur lack of facilities forces student-athletes to ride a bus, or walk, to various practice locations, and play home games at other stadiums. Our student-athletes still show up, compete and support one another. The athletic culture at the school has grown tremendously and it\u2019s been a blast to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Megan Schmidt of Sumner Academy is the Blue KC Coach With Character for September of 2023 (Photo by Jason Hanna\/ Kansas City Royals)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As a coach who has learned through past experience, Schmidt is always reminding her student-athletes to worry about the things they can control and block out all of the external factors. While it may be easy to get caught up in the frustrations of \u2018what if\u2019 or \u2018why not\u2019, she\u2019s been able to find ultimate success in taking charge of the things that she can control and focusing on making an impact in that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLead by example and always remember that energy and effort is contagious,\u201d said Schmidt. \u201cYou don\u2019t always have to be the best player, or the most vocal player on the team. Do the little things right, show that you care, and others will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While being part of a team is beneficial in numerous ways, Schmidt goes the extra mile to ensure everyone in her programs understands the importance of putting on a Sumner Academy uniform and representing everyone who has come before them to help lay the foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always stress to my student-athletes that they represent our school and community,\u201d said Schmidt. \u201cStandards are important in that aspect because we want to create a positive image and culture amongst the athletes at our school. I want my athletes to understand what our shared expectations are and how that correlates with the goals that we are trying to accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMegan is a coach who constantly goes above and beyond for her athletes,\u201d said Schmidt\u2019s nominator, Brad Oxler. \u201cShe is the most dedicated and involved coach in the building, coaching three sports and also handling the school’s social media pages. She helps to bring attention to our athletics and makes people realize that we are more than just an academic school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCoach Schmidt\u2019s ability to lead and assist numerous sports is a testament to her character, commitment and love for Sumner Academy and its surrounding community,\u201d said Christina Lively, Blue KC Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. \u201cWe all know the challenges coach\u2019s face in each particular sport, but Coach Schmidt is able to navigate multiple sports, while maintaining a positive and optimistic outlook, demonstrating her true devotion for all of her student-athletes. It\u2019s our honor to recognize her for this prestigious award. Congratulations!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue KC Coaches with Character recipients are honored monthly at Kauffman Stadium during Kansas City Royals home games, and fans are encouraged to nominate coaches who are making a positive impact on their schools and communities by using the form online at https:\/\/www.cyouinthemajorleagues.org\/BlueKC\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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