Community Champion

Dr. David Schmidt grew up about 75 miles north of San Antonio on his family’s ranch near Harper, Texas. Surrounded by animals in a rural setting, he initially dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. But a high school chemistry teacher encouraged him to consider medicine instead. Then came football—his love for the game and firsthand experience with sports injuries would ultimately steer him toward orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. 

With a career spanning nearly four decades, Schmidt is dedicated to giving back to the community. He holds the distinction of being the first person to give a financial gift to A&M-San Antonio's fast-growing Jaguar Athletics.

After Schmidt graduated from Harper High School, he attended the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (now, UT Health San Antonio), where he completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. He then  completed fellowships in knee surgery and sports medicine in Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. 

In 1986, Schmidt returned to San Antonio and joined the practice of Dr. Jack Henry, the longtime team doctor for the San Antonio Spurs. In 1993, Schmidt succeeded Henry in that role, serving as the Spurs’ team physician for 31 years. His career highlights also include serving as a physician at the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival and the 1996 Olympic Games, as well as leading the NBA Physicians Association as its president.

Schmidt opened Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio in 2004, serving athletes and schools throughout the city. When he learned in 2020 that A&M-San Antonio had launched an athletics program, he reached out to the University’s Athletic Director Darnell Smith.  

 “I called Darnell out of the blue and just said, ‘Hey, we'd love to help.’  We struck up a friendship, and we've been supporting the athletics program ever since.” 

Schmidt shared that he pledged to donate $10,000 annually to A&M-San Antonio Jaguar Athletics for five years.

“Obviously I'm passionate about sports and sports medicine, but I'm also passionate about our community, because San Antonio has been a great place to practice and raise a family,” Schmidt said. “Giving to A&M-San Antonio Athletics was a no-brainer. It's amazing how the program has grown in such a short time.”   

Smith said Schmidt’s financial support provides flexibility, enabling the University to address immediate needs and invest in long-term priorities without limitations.

"Dr. David Schmidt’s generosity has had a profound and lasting impact on both our campus and our athletics department,” Smith said. “From the very beginning of our program, his support has been instrumental in helping us remain competitive, invest in student-athlete scholarships and development and meet the operational needs of a growing department. We are truly grateful for his continued commitment and the transformative difference he makes across our entire community.”