Jesse gets Life for 20 years
Jesse with wife Mel at the Port Magpies presentation night.
Port Macquarie Magpies legend Jesse Schmidt was rewarded for 20 seasons Senior club footy with Life Membership at the club’s recent presentation night.
Having debuted back in 2002 as a precociously talented 13 year old (in an era before minimum ages!) the Magpies have been a constant in Jesse’s life ever since.
Jesse as a member of the 2002 Reserve Grade Premiership winning team.
Jesse marked himself as a great of the local game when he became just the third player in League history to win the Best & Fairest award on three occasions (2012, 2013, 2015). One of the most admired figures within AFL North Coast ranks, the respect from team mates, opponents, and umpires alike stems not only because of his footy ability, but also for the down to earth way he conducts himself both on and off the field.
Whilst Jesse’s career is littered with personal accolades, the Magpies’ Premiership wins of 2007 and 2013 figure prominently in his list of highlights.
The acknowledgment from the club is not only for the outstanding footy he’s played in black and white, but is also a reflection of the commitment he’s shown to the Magpie cause down the years. Several seasons ago, injury severely limited Jesse’s output, but instead of sitting out he simply moved from the midfield to the forward line and kicked exclusively on his non-dominant left foot. His employment in car sales has often seen him required to work on Saturday mornings and his preparedness to finish work, dash up the highway to an away game, and run straight onto the field without a warm-up is folklore in Port!
In more recent years Jesse’s focus has moved to his family, with boys Rory (l) and Bodhi being future father/son draft picks for the Magpies!
Congratulations Jesse on this richly deserved award from all in the North Coast footy family.
