For nearly half a century, Schmidt has been an unwavering pillar of local gymnastics, training countless students and encouraging young people to take up the sport. How does he cope and what is the secret of a good coach?
Margit, you can say you are a gymnast your whole life. How did you get into gymnastics?
I was born and raised in Kilingi-Nõmme. Coach Aime Koovit grabbed me by the button on the street and told me to come to gymnastics when I was seven. He saw potential in me and started working with me.
The training was located in the red corner of the former cultural building. There were no carpets or anything in the hallway.
When I started as a coach, Aime’s husband, Ain Koovit, had rebuilt an old hall with parquet flooring for gymnastics. There was nothing but a stove for heating. Training there is the scariest part of my life, sometimes I would warm it up myself. In 1984, this house burned down.
2024-01-20 13:24:00
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