Greater Lansing Sports Hall of Fame: Steve Schmidt turned Mott into JC basketball power

Steve Schmidt knew that he wanted to pursue a career in sports when he was suiting up in the late 1970s for Waverly High School as an all-state quarterback and basketball player.

He didn't envision then becoming one of greatest junior-college basketball coaches of all time. But after 32 years leading Mott Community College in Flint to 796 wins and four national championships, Schmidt belongs on that list.

His success has earned him a spot in the 2023 class that will be inducted into the Greater Lansing Sports Hall of Fame on Aug. 10 at the Lansing Center.

Schmidt is already a member of the Flint Sports Hall of Fame. And the gymnasium in Ballenger Field House at Mott Community College was named after him in 2009.

But now he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in his hometown — an honor that Schmidt truly takes to heart.

"I think it's pretty special to be honest. Lansing is where I spent the first 25 years of my life," Schmidt said. "The city, the people, the coaches and friends I had made a huge impact on my life. I'm in some other hall of fames, but this one is special and I can't tell you how excited I am to be coming home and being part of this."

Schmidt's path from after his playing career at Waverly took many turns. He played at the junior-college level in California, then returned to play Division 1 basketball at Central Michigan and graduated in 1986. He then took an interesting professional route, touring around the world with the Washington Generals — the competition for the Harlem Globetrotters.

"The experience with the Generals was actually a great first job right out of college," Schmidt said. "I was able to see the world and continue to compete. It was much more competitive than people would think. The two world tours taught me patience, persistence and how to get along with people. It was a really fun experience."

Once Schmidt knew his playing days were over, his path led him back to the junior-college ranks, where he started as an assistant with Lansing Community College. He then, at age 28, accepted the head coaching job at Mott in 1991.

Schmidt said he originally didn't plan on staying at his new job for long. But once Schmidt was able to gain a foothold and find success, Mott took off and became one of the national powers on the junior college basketball scene.

Schmidt got Mott to the NJCAA tournament for the first time in 2001, and it wasn't long until his first title in 2003. Schmidt led the Bruins to back-to-back championships in 2007 and 2008 and then added another crown in 2012. Mott has also been the national runner-up three times during his tenure.

Aside from all the numbers and championships, one of Schmidt's biggest accomplishments has been helping 134 players reach the next level of their playing careers.

"Kids growing up, their dream isn't to play at a junior college," he said. "Their dream is to play at a place like Michigan State. I see myself in these young people that I bring in, and I take so much pride in that I've helped kids realize their dreams and goals all over the country at all levels.

"They didn't come in as Division 1 or 2 players. We developed them and they've worked extremely hard and bought in. These teams we face are good, and I think a lot of programs kind of took what Mott did over the years and duplicate how we did it and what we did. That's a huge compliment to our program."

Some of Schmidt's players who have gone on to play Division 1 basketball include Rashi Johnson (Michigan State), Jerel Allen (Florida State), Jeremie Simmons (Ohio State), DeAndre Neely (Kent State) and, most recently, Taylor Currie (Akron).

Schmidt now ranks 15th on the all-time NJCAA wins list and will likely move up several more spots in the next few years.

"I coach with passion and I have intensity and I've stayed true to who I am," Schmidt said. "I have integrity. I take pride in my character and I haven't cut corners. I've just worked hard. I've stayed true to who I am and how I was raised and the impact that the coaches and my family made on me.

"I have not deviated from that plan and I never intend to as long as I coach. Lansing is my home, but Flint is my home also. They've taken me under their wing and we have great support."

47th Greater Lansing Sports Hall of Fame

When: Aug. 10; 4:30 — Welcome; 5:30 — Dinner; 6:30 — Induction ceremony

Where: Lansing Center

Tickets: $40 per person, call (517) 484-0677 or email everyb21@gmail.com for information.

2023 inductees: Christie Hursey, Desmond Ferguson, Melanie Miller, Henry Patino, Steve Schmidt, Bryan Smith, Jennifer Smith, 1985 Lansing Catholic Central football team, 1986 and 1987 Sexton boys track teams.

Sponsors: Dean Transportation, Applegate Home Comfort, Dan Henry Distributing, Shaheen Chevrolet/Cadillac, The Accident Fund, Gregory Eaton Associates, Edward Jones Inc., One North Restaurant, Auto Owners Insurance, The Bleacher Denizen, Roland Carter Enterprise, ASAP Printing, Magic Johnson Enterprises

Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @Nathaniel_Bott

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Greater Lansing Sports Hall: Steve Schmidt among top JC hoops coaches