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Staff profile: Meet The Columbus Dispatch’s Lori Schmidt, assistant sports editor

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2 weeks ago

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(Editor’s note: This article is part of a new weekly series featuring Columbus Dispatch journalists and their work in our community.)

Position

Assistant sports editor of The Columbus Dispatch. I joined the paper in 2021. Prior to that, I worked for “Buckeye Sports Bulletin,” “614 Magazine,” 610 WTVN, 97.1 The Fan and the now-defunct ONN television network.

Why I went into journalism?

I have often said that whenever I find time to write my autobiography, it will be entitled “When an Exciting Life Happens to a Boring Person.” And that’s the reason I went into journalism: I figure if I have a story, then everyone else must.

They are not always the obvious stories, either. In fact, one of my favorite assignments is to go out and interview Ohio State’s football players during the season. But there’s a caveat: I cannot ask any football-related questions.

The players always have such remarkable tales to tell, from quarterback Devin Brown being one class shy of being able to pilot a plane solo, to linebacker Mitchell Melton planning to go to film school, to defensive tackle Hero Kanu hoping to open a German-style bakery in Columbus’ German village one day while opening an American-style deli in an actual German village.

I even enjoyed talking to defensive back Davison Igbinosun, despite the fact that he thinks 80s movies are old.

Being able to share those stories is an incredible gift.

Why sports?

Sports have been a part of my life since a young age. When I was in elementary school, I started playing soccer, and I volunteered to be the goalie. I did this not knowing what a goalie was and not knowing I’d grow up to be just 5-3.

Before graduating high school, I would also play softball and basketball.

High school is also where I started as a sports reporter. I was the co-editor for the high school news magazine; the sports anchor for the weekly half-hour television news program, WPIC; and the voice of Tiger sports for the televised morning announcements.

At Ohio University, I continued to study sports journalism and continued to play soccer — as the tallest 5-3 goalie in the Mid American Conference.

I also spent a decade officiating basketball and was licensed to officiate football.

What I like best about my role

As an editor, my job is to read all the stories written by The Dispatch’s very talented stable of sports writers. I am learning all the time, all while getting to play hall monitor on other people’s grammar. If I could go back and tell little nerd Lori this is how she would eventually make her living, she would have held a party.

I also love being able to edit The Dispatch’s sports coverage because I was born 1.3 miles from Blue Jackets’ center ice, 1.8 miles from the Clippers’ home plate, and 4.8 miles from the Ohio State end zone.

About my mentors

I would not be where I am today without my mom and without the great Larry Larson. Larson, the former Grandview football coaching great, is passionate about sports and life. He encouraged me to pursue what I was enthusiastic about.

Jeff Austin at WBNS radio and Brian White, sports editor at The Dispatch, took big chances on me. I try every day to be deserving of that.

And nobody can have had better co-workers than I have had over the years.

A little more about me?

I work in the city, live in the suburbs and spend my free time in nature. I love the pulse of all three. I enjoy visiting the zoo and the local metro parks. 

My taste in music is a trainwreck. (Apologies, Rachel Platten. You know I love you, but people deserve to know I unironically enjoy “Fight Song.”) My favorite movie is “Casablanca.” My favorite food is mom’s spaghetti. (Apologies, Mr. Eminem. It was my favorite long the reference was immortalized in “8 Mile.”)

Last year, I took my first vacation in decades. Although I am still a novice when it comes to traveling, I find that I am more centered getting away from central Ohio every now and then. Among other things, it reminds me of how much I love home.

Lori Schmidt can be reached at lschmidt1@dispatch.com.

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