Alex Schmidt
Varsity Head Coach
since 2009
As a coach:
An alumnus of the Westfield High School soccer program, Alex Schmidt has been coaching at numerous levels since ending his soccer career in 2000. In 2009 Coach Schmidt took over the position of Head Coach for the WHS Lady Blue Devils. During the 2009 season Coach Schmidt was able to lead the Lady Blue Devils to their first Group IV Sectional Championship and State Final birth in more than 7 years. The Lady Blue Devils finished the season with a record of 21-1-2, ranked the 11th best team in the country by ESPN Rise and finished the season with the most shut-outs in the entire country with 20. Coach Schmidt was named the 2009 Union County Coach of the Year. Currently, Coach Schmidt also holds the position of Director of Coaching for both the WSA and the FC Premier soccer programs in Westfield.
In 2001 his very first season as a volunteer assistant for the Westfield High School Boys' Varsity program he helped the team reach the Group IV State Semi-Finals for the first time since 1995. In 2004 Coach Schmidt was given the opportunity to coach the Westfield High School Boys' Junior Varsity program. The team finished with a record of 16-0-2 allowing only 4 goals against the entire season en route to a county championship. From 2005-2008 Alex was the WHS Boy's Varsity Assistant Coach.
As a Player:
Coach Schmidt grew up in Westfield and attended Westfield High School. He was captain of the 1995 Westfield High School Boys' Soccer team that won the Group IV state championship. During this same time Coach Schmidt was a member of the New Jersey Rovers club team which won 5 NJYSA state championships with his 1997 Rover's team also winning a USYSA Region 1 Championship and a spot in the National Semi-Finals. After High School Coach Schmidt attended NCAA Division 1 St. Bonaventure University. Coach Schmidt was a captain his junior and senior years while playing for the Bonnies and was selected to the 1999 All-Atlantic 10 team. He helped lead the team to its first ever A-10 tournament birth in 1999.
As an Educator:
Has taught in Westfield since 2002. Coach Schmidt was a fifth grade teacher at Wilson Elementary School from 2002-2007. In 2007 he moved from Wilson to Edison Intermediate School where he became a a sixth grade Language Arts teacher. Coach Schmidt also taught one year of fourth grade in Glen Ridge at the Ridewood Ave. School.
Varsity Head Coach
since 2009
As a coach:
An alumnus of the Westfield High School soccer program, Alex Schmidt has been coaching at numerous levels since ending his soccer career in 2000. In 2009 Coach Schmidt took over the position of Head Coach for the WHS Lady Blue Devils. During the 2009 season Coach Schmidt was able to lead the Lady Blue Devils to their first Group IV Sectional Championship and State Final birth in more than 7 years. The Lady Blue Devils finished the season with a record of 21-1-2, ranked the 11th best team in the country by ESPN Rise and finished the season with the most shut-outs in the entire country with 20. Coach Schmidt was named the 2009 Union County Coach of the Year. Currently, Coach Schmidt also holds the position of Director of Coaching for both the WSA and the FC Premier soccer programs in Westfield.
In 2001 his very first season as a volunteer assistant for the Westfield High School Boys' Varsity program he helped the team reach the Group IV State Semi-Finals for the first time since 1995. In 2004 Coach Schmidt was given the opportunity to coach the Westfield High School Boys' Junior Varsity program. The team finished with a record of 16-0-2 allowing only 4 goals against the entire season en route to a county championship. From 2005-2008 Alex was the WHS Boy's Varsity Assistant Coach.
As a Player:
Coach Schmidt grew up in Westfield and attended Westfield High School. He was captain of the 1995 Westfield High School Boys' Soccer team that won the Group IV state championship. During this same time Coach Schmidt was a member of the New Jersey Rovers club team which won 5 NJYSA state championships with his 1997 Rover's team also winning a USYSA Region 1 Championship and a spot in the National Semi-Finals. After High School Coach Schmidt attended NCAA Division 1 St. Bonaventure University. Coach Schmidt was a captain his junior and senior years while playing for the Bonnies and was selected to the 1999 All-Atlantic 10 team. He helped lead the team to its first ever A-10 tournament birth in 1999.
As an Educator:
Has taught in Westfield since 2002. Coach Schmidt was a fifth grade teacher at Wilson Elementary School from 2002-2007. In 2007 he moved from Wilson to Edison Intermediate School where he became a a sixth grade Language Arts teacher. Coach Schmidt also taught one year of fourth grade in Glen Ridge at the Ridewood Ave. School.
Kerri Anness
Varsity Assistant Coach
since 2008
As a coach:
A graduate of Westfield High School and former Lady Blue Devil, Kerri Anness has been coaching and training since she was 15. As a high school player she coached at the U10 level and under until graduating from high school. In college she coached 3 and 4 year olds for the Kiddie Soccer Program down the shore. After college, in 2007, Coach Anness was offered a volunteer position with the Lady Blue Devils freshman team. In 2008, she was appointed the assistant varsity coach. She remains there, having coached teams who have earned 2 conference championship and a sectional championship. The 2009 Lady Blue Devils reached the state finals with a 21-1-2 record in her second year as an assistant.
As a Player:
Coach Anness has been passionate about soccer since the age of 5. Growing up in Westfield, she began in the WSA program and remained there until high school. Upon entering high school, she played for Somerset Hills Soccer club where she was the lead scorer all 4 years. As a Lady Blue Devil, she played on the junior varsity team her freshman year and continued on the varsity team for the remainder of her time there. At Monmouth University, Coach Anness played co-ed inter-mural soccer for 4 years.
As an Educator:
After graduating from Monmouth with a BS in Special Education with minors in English and Psychology, Coach Anness taught special education classes at Jonathon Dayton High School in Springfield, NJ. In the fall of 2006, she was hired in Westfield at Washington School as a resource room teacher. In 2009, she began splitting time between Washington and Lincoln schools.
Varsity Assistant Coach
since 2008
As a coach:
A graduate of Westfield High School and former Lady Blue Devil, Kerri Anness has been coaching and training since she was 15. As a high school player she coached at the U10 level and under until graduating from high school. In college she coached 3 and 4 year olds for the Kiddie Soccer Program down the shore. After college, in 2007, Coach Anness was offered a volunteer position with the Lady Blue Devils freshman team. In 2008, she was appointed the assistant varsity coach. She remains there, having coached teams who have earned 2 conference championship and a sectional championship. The 2009 Lady Blue Devils reached the state finals with a 21-1-2 record in her second year as an assistant.
As a Player:
Coach Anness has been passionate about soccer since the age of 5. Growing up in Westfield, she began in the WSA program and remained there until high school. Upon entering high school, she played for Somerset Hills Soccer club where she was the lead scorer all 4 years. As a Lady Blue Devil, she played on the junior varsity team her freshman year and continued on the varsity team for the remainder of her time there. At Monmouth University, Coach Anness played co-ed inter-mural soccer for 4 years.
As an Educator:
After graduating from Monmouth with a BS in Special Education with minors in English and Psychology, Coach Anness taught special education classes at Jonathon Dayton High School in Springfield, NJ. In the fall of 2006, she was hired in Westfield at Washington School as a resource room teacher. In 2009, she began splitting time between Washington and Lincoln schools.