Rachel Schneider Smith and her Parents. Photo by Rachel Schneider Smith
Rachel Schneider Smith with her husband and two daughters. Photo by Rachel Schneider Smith
By Tiffani Bourque
The Maine Sports Hall of Fame officially inducted Sanford native Rachel Schneider Smith during a ceremony on Sept. 27 at the University of Southern Maine. She was one of four women among the 11 inductees in the Class of 2026, joining some of the state’s most celebrated athletes.
Long before Schneider Smith represented the United States at the Olympic Games, she was a young girl playing soccer at Shaw Field, shooting hoops at St. Thomas School, and participating in Sanford’s summer recreational programs.
For Schneider Smith, whose running career includes national titles and competing in the 5,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics, the recognition carries a special meaning.
“I remember just feeling very honored and very proud that I come from the state of Maine,” she said. “Maine is such a special place.”
Her father, longtime Sanford physician Steve Schneider, remembers a happy child who loved keeping up with her athletic older siblings.
“She was a delightful, happy child who sort of loved nothing more than hanging out with her older siblings and trying to emulate them and be part of it,” he recalled.
Sanford rooted Schneider Smith’s athletic beginnings. She played recreational and travel soccer, swam with the Sanford YMCA Titans, and participated in the town’s summer running program. She credits those experiences with teaching her to enjoy athletics long before competition became serious.
“It was way less about running as it was kind of just learning to love being active and making running fun,” she said.
Schneider remembers recognizing his daughter’s extraordinary talent when, as a middle school student, she advanced from a league track championship to district competition and eventually a national meet in Iowa, where she finished among the top eight runners.
“That was our first hint that, hey, you know, she’s on a national stage and she came in top eight,” he recalled.
By high school, Schneider Smith shifted her focus from soccer and swimming to cross-country and track, beginning a course that would eventually lead to the 2021 Olympic Trials.
Of all her athletic accomplishments, making the Olympic team remains her proudest moment, where Schneider Smith secured one of three coveted spots representing the United States.
“It was just so exciting to watch her make the top three in the country and be able to go to the Olympics,” her father said. “It had been a long-time dream of hers.”
Today, Schneider Smith lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she remains a professional runner sponsored by Nike. She and her husband, Mike Smith, are raising two young daughters and expecting their third. Although motherhood has temporarily slowed her competitive racing schedule, her father says her passion for running remains strong.
“She’s not done in her own mind,” he said with a laugh.
While her athletic achievements are remarkable, Schneider says what brings him the greatest joy is his daughter’s character. He recalled a high school teammate who once thanked Rachel for encouraging her during cross-country practices, helping her feel included despite being an inexperienced runner.
“It’s that aspect of her that I think I’m most proud of,” he said.
For young female athletes across Maine who dream of following in her Olympic footsteps, Schneider Smith offers encouragement from her own journey: believe in your potential, pursue what you love, and never lose sight of the joy that first drew you to the sport.
“I want them to know that it’s so important to keep joy and fun at the center of what they are doing,” she said.
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