USA Hockey Magazine

N ate Schmidt never subscribed to the "stick to hockey" mantra. Being a one-sport athlete didn't appeal to the kid from St. Cloud, Minn., at least not until he came to that crossroad. And that formula seems to have worked well for the 30-year- old defenseman who is entering his 10th professional hockey season and first with the Winnipeg Jets. Schmidt's movement from the field to track and rink to court was no coincidence. There was his instant love of sports, sure, but he also credits the strategic parenting of his father, Tom, for much of his success. "My dad had this rule that if you weren't going to be involved in sports or some type of extracurriculars, you had to work. So for me, it was hockey, baseball, football, soccer—I even picked up track and field on Saturday morn- ings—anything so I didn't have to go to work," Schmidt says with his familiar ear-to-ear grin. "I think everyone's so focused on not falling behind in any particular sport, but you lose so much when you're not playing different sports. There are all these little things, like hand-eye coordination and movements that you can use to your advantage in other sports. … The more athletic you can be, the better off you're going to be in hockey." 'DID YOU WORK HARD TODAY?' Ironically, while Schmidt initially got involved in sports to avoid working, it was his work ethic that made him stand out on the ice. "My dad never asked me about my mistakes or how many goals I scored," Schmidt recalls. "Instead he would ask: 'Did you work hard today?' And I'd rattle off my stats and he'd be like, 'No, I asked if you worked hard today.' He wanted to make sure I was always putting my best foot forward. So, I always did. I learned that's when you're truly proud of yourself." As a late bloomer, Schmidt quickly found how effective hard work is at every level. When he was cut from his Squirt A team, he came back stronger the following season. He would eventually make every A team he tried out for all the way through high school, where as a junior he led all defensemen in the state of Minnesota with 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) in just 25 games. SCHMIDT SEPTEMBER 2021 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 25 HAPPENS AS A MEMBER OF THE EXPANSION VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS, NATE SCHMIDT WAS PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE SQUAD OF "MISFITS." Working Hard And Having Fun Have Defined Defenseman Nate Schmidt's NHL Career By Jessi Pierce PHOTOS BY Getty Images

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