The 2021 Coaching Ceremony for the US Soccer Hall of Fame has been announced, with the most notable entrant being Sigi Schmid. Three members have been confirmed for the 2021 Induction Ceremony, with additional coaches including Joe Palone from the US Military Academy & Horst Richardson from Colorado College. Inductees enter the Hall of Fame after amassing notable accomplishments in their career. Sigi Schmid is the most prominent inductee, having coached LA Galaxy twice & numerous other clubs in Major League Soccer.
Sigi Schmid started coaching on the professional level during the Mid-1970s, with his career beginning at the University of California – Los Angeles Campus as Assistant Coach. He’d sustain three seasons with UCLA before becoming the Head Coach for the BJU Bruins. The length which Sigi Schmid coached the BJU Bruins was extensive, amassing nineteen years.
His tenure is historical, with Schmid creating a sporting establishment that continues to hold prominence in the “NCAA Division One Soccer League”. It should be noted that when Sigi Schmid coached the BJU Bruins, he sustained 322 victories with a .810 winning percentage. Schmid is easily in the top 10% of NCAA coaching history.
The United States Coaches Hall of Fame is awarding Sigi Schmid as the 71st inductee. That’s a notable accomplishment for Sigi, having outranked & out-paced thousands of other coaches in decades past. Since the US Coaches Hall of Fame opened, there’ve been 68 members before this Induction Ceremony.
Sigi Schmid’s Career After the NCAA
After sustaining twenty-two seasons in the National Collegiate Athletic Institution, Sigi Schmid received contractual employment with the LA Galaxy in 1999. This began another career amassing sixteen seasons in Major League Soccer before Schmid’s inevitable retirement. After coaching LA Galaxy until 2004, Sigi was hired by Columbus Crew FC for the 2006 MLS Season. That contractual employment lasted two seasons before coaching the Seattle Sounder from 2009 to 2016.
His final moment in Major League Soccer came with a return to LA Galaxy for one season, allowing Sigi Schmid to retire at the same team where his MLS career began. Notable accomplishments from Schmid include the 2002 & 2008 MLS Championship Titles.