MORAGA, Calif. -- (Courtesy SMCgaels.com) -- Some student-athletes wear their hearts on their sleeve. Cory Schmidt wears his on a bright-pink patch of hair.

The El Cajon native has scored two game-winning goals for the Saint Mary's men' s soccer team this year after missing nearly 20 months of his college career due to rehabilitation for groin and knee injuries.  He suffered a severe knee injury in a match at Gonzaga last year and did not return to the field until the Gaels reported for preseason training in August.

Today, Schmidt is a role model for perseverance and dedication. Those roots can be traced back about 13 years to the time when his own role model, his mother Danielle, was diagnosed with breast cancer when Cory was 9 years old.

"It was really a strange situation," said Schmidt.  "I was pretty young and really didn't understand what was going on or the severity of the situation.  I knew something was wrong because my mom was in the hospital a lot.  My dad would take her to treatment because, I think, they really wanted us to have as normal of a childhood as possible.

"There were times when we would stay at our friend's house for a week at a time.  My parents dealt with the situation and wanted us to live our lives - playing soccer, going to school, enjoying time with friends and such."

Whether he realized it or not, that was a foundational time in Cory's life. He watched his mother go through chemotherapy and saw her strength. That provided Schmidt an understanding of the emotional and physical toll cancer can have and provided him a perspective on how to deal with his own adversity.

"Even today, hearing the stories about how difficult it was for her is really tough," said Schmidt.  "At that time, I really didn't have a clear understanding of what was going on.  A few years later, it really became clear how serious the situation was.  The fact that I could have lost my Mom really set in when I was about 14.  I think watching her have such strength and a positive outlook has helped me deal with my own issues."

Cory and his family is proud that Danielle has been cancer-free for 13 years.

Over the years, Schmidt has participated in a number of events and activities to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research.  Currently, he sports a pink patch of hair on the back of his head in support of his mother and grandmother's battles with cancer.

"I've participated in walks, 5k runs and other events over the years," said Schmidt.  "I've donated, worn bracelets and tried to show support for breast cancer awareness.

"My Mom suggested I dye the back of my hair pink.  Who am I to say no to my Mom?  So, my hair is pink.  I've never really cared a lot about what my hair looks like, so honestly it didn't take that much convincing."

Saint Mary's head coach Adam Cooper has been a strong supporter of Schmidt's efforts on behalf of cancer research and has watched Schmidt battle through his own adversity.

"When you have a major injury, it isn't easy to mentally recover much less do so physically," said Cooper.  "Cory has been in that situation twice.  His attitude was great, he put the work in with the doctors and trainers and his recovery has shown that.

"I think it is hard for everyone to understand how difficult it is to recover from injuries, even teammates.  But, everyone notices his work rate, attitude and the leadership he has shown.  To know that he has done that twice in a relatively short period of time is quite impressive."

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease.  A number of awareness and fundraising events take place throughout the country.  To find out more, please click here.

Saint Mary's takes its 1-0 West Coast Conference record on the road this weekend for a pair of matches against longtime rivals.  On Friday, the Gaels face Santa Clara in a 7 p.m. kickoff at Buck Shaw Stadium.  Sunday, SMC makes a trip to Negoesco Field for a 3 p.m. match at San Francisco.

Both matches will be streamed live at no charge on a variety of platforms via GaelVision on SMCGaels.com.  The site's Matchday Central page includes live video, links to ticket sales and live statistics and a feed from the athletic department's official Twitter account (@SMCGaels). 

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