Honoring a Round Lake Legend this Saturday!

Brian Brubaker current President of the Spartan Football organization sent me this about the dedication of Dedication of Hart's Hill Football Field in honor of Ron Schmidt.

Ron Schmidt, son of Marion and William Schmidt, was born in Chicago on November 20, 1942. Looking for opportunity the Schmidt family moved to Round Lake Park in 1945. Ron attended Murphy school and Round Lake High School graduating in 1960. Ron was active in the community and played sports throughout high school. Ron worked at Fiat Allis in Lake County which was a manufacturing machine shop. Ron never married nor had children. Probably because he was too busy mentoring and coaching all the kids in the Round Lake area. In early 1963 Ron took his own money, bought some football equipment and found an open field in the area to start a football program. People often ask how the Spartans name came to be. As the team was forming Ron would visit the local schools to recruit kids to play. When asked what the name of the team was he turned it back to the kids and asked what they were studying. It just so happened that the kids were studying about Spartan warriors in class that week, the Round Lake Spartans were born.
In the beginning, practices and games were held at St. Joseph Church and at the Round Lake High School. Today the Spartans play games at Hart Hill and practice at Indian Hill School under lights provided by the Round Lake Area Park District. In addition to being the founder of our organization Ron was involved at St. Joseph School and the ATYB. Ron was an accomplished referee for baseball, football and basketball for area youth programs. On August 30, 1996 Ron suffered a heart attack at a high school football game in Libertyville. To the very end of his life Ron was doing what he loved to do. Ron ran the Spartans from 1963 to 1993.

Dedication of Hart's Hill Football Field in honor of Ron Schmidt.
Event: Annual Corn and Brat Day
When: August 26, 2006 at 12:15 PM
Where: Hart Hill Football Field (across the street from the RLAPD)
814 Hart Road, Round Lake