Photo by Sam Chandler.
Mountain Brook High School seniors Brian Schmidt, left, and Warren Fitzpatrick will continue their track and field careers at Western State Colorado University and Samford University, respectively.
Mountain Brook High School track and field coach Michael McGovern praised the tenacity of two Spartan athletes May 11 before a crowd of friends and family. He spoke of Brian Schmidt’s “versatility” and “willingness” to help the team, and raved about Warren Fitzpatrick’s “spirit” and “character.”
It was a fitting speech, as the traits McGovern highlighted were ones that had propelled the senior duo to this point: signing day.
Sitting front and center with their families in the MBHS library, Schmidt and Fitzpatrick inked letters of intent to continue their respective track and field careers at the next level. Schmidt, a jumps specialist who also sprints, will compete for Western State Colorado University, while Fitzpatrick, a sprinter who excels at the 400 meters, will stay closer to home and run for Samford University.
The mere act of putting pen to paper represented a significant achievement for each athlete, especially considering their unique backgrounds. Neither shifted his full attention to the oval until his senior year.
“You can’t measure it,” McGovern said of the pair’s impact. “They bring a different mindset, a competitive spirit from other sports that kind of injects into the rest of the guys. It’s unbelievable.”
Schmidt divided his time between basketball and outdoor track and field through his junior year. But a standout 2016 campaign, in which he broke the school long jump record with a leap of 23 feet, convinced him to devote his final year of high school solely to track and field. The decision produced immediate results, as Schmidt set a new Mountain Brook indoor pentathlon record in January.
His success earned the attention of multiple college coaches, including those at the University of Montana and Colorado State University.
Western State, with its decorated history in NCAA Division II and pristine location in Gunnison, Colorado, earned Schmidt’s nod. He wore a long-sleeve gray T-shirt and white hat emblazoned with the school’s signature “W” as he pledged his written intent. Flanked by his parents, Chris and Renee, he smiled as he signed.
“I’ve always kind of wanted to go there since I was like in eighth grade, so the fact that I actually get to go there and run track is pretty sweet,” said Schmidt, who spends extended time each year out West.
Fitzpatrick followed a similar path as Schmidt to collegiate athletics, though he is even more of a track and field rookie. He only ran his senior year, having shuttled between football and basketball until last November.
Fitzpatrick used to wield his 6-foot-4 frame as a small forward on the hardwood and as a defensive back on the gridiron. Starting in December, he decided to test his smooth stride on the track. He’s been all aces on the oval.
Two months after his first meet, he placed 10th at the Class 7A indoor championships in a personal-best 51.13 seconds in the 400 meters. At May's state outdoor meet, he ran a leg on the Spartans' third-place 4x800-meter relay team.
Fitzpatrick’s rapid progression persuaded him to consider pursuing track collegiately, and a visit this spring with Samford’s coaching staff cemented his decision. He grinned after he stamped his name on the defining paper, his expression one of assurance and optimism.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “Sports have been like my life, and to get the opportunity to do this in college, it’s insane. I can’t even wrap my mind around it.”
