COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew SC announced today that the late Sigi Schmid has been selected as the third member of the club’s Circle of Honor - the Crew’s highest accolade that pays homage to its most iconic performers and personalities – and will be posthumously inducted on Saturday, June 29 during Crew SC’s home contest against Orlando City SC. The recognition on June 29, which will feature members of the Schmid family, will include Schmid’s name becoming a permanent fixture upon the upper fascia at MAPFRE Stadium alongside the names of previous inductees Brian McBride and Frankie Hejduk.
Schmid served as the Head Coach of the Columbus Crew from 2006-2008, leading the Club to its first MLS Cup in 2008 as part of a domestic double that also saw the Black & Gold win the Supporters’ Shield that year. That same season, Schmid was named the recipient of the MLS Coach of the Year Award, a League award that is now named after him. To this date, Crew SC’s 2008 season under Schmid remains the Club’s best season in terms of total points (57) and silverware won. During his three seasons in charge of the Crew, Schmid led the club to a winning 34-33-25 regular-season record.
“It is with great pride that we are able to announce that Sigi Schmid will become the third member of the Crew’s Circle of Honor, said Crew SC President Tim Bezbatchenko. “In working with the Haslam and Edwards families, we wanted to properly recognize the impact Sigi had on this organization and there is no higher recognition and no better place to celebrate Sigi’s legacy than the Crew’s Circle of Honor. Sigi helped bring an MLS Cup title in 2008 which was incredibly monumental for both the Club and Columbus. From a personal standpoint, I had the pleasure to get to know Sigi and work directly with him and I know he is greatly missed in the soccer community. We look forward to welcoming his family to MAPFRE Stadium on June 29 as we believe supporters have a special opportunity to pay respects to an important member of the Black & Gold family.”
In addition to his time at the helm of Crew SC, Schmid also served as head coach for the LA Galaxy from 1999-2004 and from 2017-2018, in addition to working as head coach for Seattle Sounders FC from 2009-2016. In all, Schmid won two MLS Cups (2002, 2008), five Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups (2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014), three Supporters’ Shields (2002, 2008, 2014) and one CONCACAF Champions’ Cup (2000). At the individual level, Schmid was twice the recipient of the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award (1999, 2008). Schmid held a regular-season record of 240-183-125, with his .552 winning percentage record making him the winningest head coach in MLS history.
“When I reflect on the impact that great coaches have had on the success of their players – both on and off the field – we are talking about an elite group that are able to humbly balance their strengths and passions with the pressures of winning while helping players succeed and grow as people. Sigi Schmid is someone who was able to do that time and again with his players and teams and I’m honored we’re able to recognize what he meant to the Crew and to so many people, including myself,” said Crew SC Head Coach Caleb Porter. “I have often said how proud I am to be the Head Coach of this Club, with its storied history. To bring another title to Columbus that would proudly rest next to the one Sigi brought to the Black & Gold is a huge inspiration, as is always striving to be the leader and man that Sigi is remembered as.”
At the international level, Schmid served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He also had two stints as head coach for the U.S. Men’s Under-20 teams, from 1998-199 and in 2005. In 2015, Schmid was named to the U.S. Soccer National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Prior to his time in the professional ranks, Schmid served as head coach for UCLA from 1980-1999, leading the Bruins to three College Cup Titles (1985, 1990, 1997). During his 19 years at UCLA, Schmid posted a winning record of 322-63-33, while twice being named the NCAA Coach of the Year (1984, 1997). To date, Schmid’s .810 winning percentage during his time with the Bruins is the sixth-best in NCAA Division I History. In 1996, he was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame.
Tickets for the Crew SC match on June 29, which features the special Circle of Honor induction, are available via ColumbusCrewSC.com.
