“[Schilder] has a temperament that is competitive, but he understands game awareness.”
Western basketball’s head coach Tony Dominguez
Schilder had grown close with Dunham during his time at WCC and trusted his coach’s council. “We sat in my office and we talked about the pros and cons of being able to come to Western,” Dunham said. “His goal is really to take the [financial] burden off of his family for college.” Athletics and family go hand-in-hand, Schilder said. His father was a professional tennis player before he passed away when Schilder was only 7 years old. His brother, Auden, is goalkeeper for the University of Washington’s soccer team. Both have served as huge role models for Schilder. The main reason he chose Western was to remain close to his mom, Schilder said. “As much as she would be okay with me going places, I just felt better being able to be here,” Schilder said. “I don’t have to call my mom; I can just go see her.” His athletic spirit – trying to maintain calm while still being competitive – comes from watching his brother, Schilder said. Schilder's calm but competitive mentality is invaluable to the team, Dominguez said. “Most guys just want to play no matter what. They don’t care about the situation; they just want to be in the game,” Dominguez said. “[Schilder] has a temperament that is competitive, but he understands game awareness.” What really sets Schilder apart from other players is his sportsmanship, Dominguez said. Many players have individual expectations when they get recruited, and individual success has become increasingly important in the last 5 to 10 years, Dominguez said. Schilder, however, just wants to win. He’ll have his opportunity to help the Vikings do just that next winter.
