First BHS Tennis Athlete to Go to State for Singles Since 2009

It has been 17 years since any BHS tennis athlete has gone to state for singles. However, William Schmidt ‘27, has changed this statistic and will be competing at the Minnesota Boys State Singles Tournament for AA today, June 4th.

Schmidt joined tennis during the COVID pandemic, when he was in sixth grade, due to wanting to play a sport that was outside. It wasn’t until his eighth-grade season that Schmidt became serious about the sport.

“I started in 6th grade for fun in singles,” Schmidt said. “Then I moved up to JV in 7th grade. When I was in 8th grade and in the bubble of playing varsity, I was really like, ‘oh I have to lock in and get better.’ I started doing other tournaments when I was 14, which I had a lot of fun with.”

Throughout this current season, Schmidt has faced and overcome numerous challenges to get him to the spot he is at now. With the support of his coaches and parents, Schmidt has found himself able to feel like he has people rooting for him.

“I’ve had a few really tough, really close competitions, and I’m proud of myself for pushing through,” Schmidt said. “I ended up losing to one of my biggest competitors, but I’m glad that I got over the loss. My coaches have always been amazing, and my parents have been really supportive, which I’m grateful for.”

When Schmidt came into the season, he had always hoped to go as far as the state tournament. When he won the competition that gave him the ticket to state, Schmidt realized he had big shoes to fill.

“I had that feeling in the back of my head, but I never wanted to embrace it and say ‘yes, I’m definitely going to make it to state,’” Schmidt said. “Because when you are too confident, you can get more disappointed. I’m really happy that I get to go. The last player to go to state was a really good player, so I have a lot to live up to. I do have to be a little realistic because those kids are very talented there. I just need to do my best to represent the school well.”

With the thought of going to the state tournament had been lingering for Schmidt, he was able to continue to prepare for his competitions in a calming way.

“I try not to overthink things, and I think of myself as an underdog even when I’m not, so I don’t get too cocky and start losing to people that I shouldn’t,” Schmidt said. “In matches, I like to sing a song in my head, which is funny, but it works for me.”

This season has not just been about winning or losing for Schmidt. Over the couple of years he has been playing, Schmidt has grown in numerous ways, each year causing even more growth than the last.

“I used to be pretty unathletic,” Schmidt said. “I was always tall, and I was clumsy; I didn’t really have much coordination, so obviously, I think I’ve gotten a lot stronger as a person. Mentally, it’s helped me grow to embrace people better and be a better teammate, and just to push through hardship. I’ve met so many people through tennis who I still visit to this day. It’s become a hobby, it helps me stay moving around and happy.”

Schmidt will play singles in the AA State Tournament today (June 4), and he hopes to continue to play tennis in the future.