With Athletic Director Jim Denton retiring, Combs found a new Athletic Director. A man by the name of Scot (yes, it’s spelled with only one T) Schmidt steps up to the challenge of taking Denton’s place.

Schmidt comes from a background in education, having grown up in Wyoming then moving to Arizona and working in the Mesa public school district for 12 years. He is looking for a change of pace, coming from Mesa High School with a population around 3,500 to Combs with a population of around 1,300 students.

“I taught in Wyoming for 15 years, we had a high school 9 through 12 of 500 students. So I enjoy that [smaller] environment,” Schmidt said. “Not to say I don’t enjoy the larger environment, but I feel like my opportunity to help students is better at a smaller environment than a larger environment. I get to know people better, I get to know more people period. I like that one on one kind of family atmosphere.”

Schmidt is excited to bring outside perspective to the school. He hopes to improve the student’s experiences on campus and with administration.

“I think I bring an energy to Combs. I think I bring some new ideas that hopefully can be implemented. Am I going to make huge changes in this first year? No, I’m not,” Schmidt said. “I’m going to sit back, I’m going to listen, I’m going to talk, I’m going to communicate; not only with teachers and administration and those kinds of things but with [students]. Listening to the students in terms of their needs and how we can meet those.”

Improving the school comes with a sense of pride and appreciation for the students and staff.

“I enjoy what I do, I enjoy the athletics and the activities piece, which is what I’m going to be charged with,” Schmidt said. “I want to be a part of those things that you guys are doing, to help you be successful, because anytime I’m helping you to be successful, then I’m successful. That’s what educations about.”

Despite becoming the new athletic director  and all the technicalities that come along with the job, Schmidt is not a stranger to sports. 

“I played in high school, obviously. I played four different sports; football, wrestling, track and baseball. I played a little college ball, football, and a little college baseball,” Schmidt said. “Not very much, a very, very short period of time, and then just decided that I needed to concentrate on my education and finish that up.”

After living and working in Wyoming for the first years of his life, Schmidt decided to move to Arizona with his family.

“I moved here in 2001. Wyoming is my home, that’s where I grew up, that’s where I went to school, that’s where I graduated from both high school and college, and then worked there for 15 years. I don’t like shoveling snow,” Schmidt said. “Part of the reason why we moved down here was my wife’s parents live down here and my parents live down here and we wanted our children to know their grandparents.”

Schmidt wants to make positive changes at Combs to benefit everyone involved and attending to Combs. Students are always welcome to find him if they have any ideas or concerns.

“My office is always open and I’m always up for something new,” Schmidt said.