08/21/2025
Al Schroeder will be recognized Wednesday, September 3rd during the home volleyball game against Dwight. The recognition will occur in between the JV and Varsity games. We hope you can join us.
LEAF selects Al Schroeder as 2025 ‘Patriot Award’ winner
By Mike Hawkins
Kaye Schroeder was responsible for Al Schroeder’s successful 34 year career at Lexington High School. The couple met at Eastern Illinois University in 1982 and fell in love. After graduating, Kaye went to work at State Farm in Bloomington. Not wanting to be far away from his fiancé, Al began to look for a teaching job near Bloomington. On a hot, July day in 1983 he travelled to Dwight for an interview. At its end, he found a phone booth and called his dad to let him know how the interview went. His dad immediately told Al that the Lexington principal had called and expressed interest in meeting with him. Knowing that Lexington was 45 minutes closer to Bloomington than Dwight, Al decided he would stop to see what might turn into an interview. The district secretary told Schroeder that Mr. Hawkins was eating lunch at Kathy’s Kitchen, but offered to call and let him know that there was a job applicant wishing an audience. The principal hurried back to the high school, spent an hour interviewing Al, introduced him to Superintendent Underwood, shook hands, and offered him a job – the rest is history.
Back in the day, business education teachers had to wear many different hats. During his tenure at LCHS Al taught typing, business law, accounting, consumer education, and economics. In addition, his classroom sometimes morphed into a courtroom as he coached Lexington’s Mock Trial Team for 12 years. Many hats? How about coaching hats? Schroeder coached Boys Track (1984-1995), Girls Track (1987-1995), Boys Basketball (1984-1988), and junior high and high school Volleyball from 1986 until 2010. His track teams won two Sectional Meets, and his athletes won several state individual titles. In 1991 his volleyball team made the IHSA Elite Eight. Athletics have always been a part of Schroeder’s life. As a high school athlete, he was a three-sport athlete and won eight varsity letters.
Those of you who know him are aware of his humility. Never a rah rah guy looking for accolades, he was merely a mentor who loved high school sports and more importantly loved and respected his athletes. It wasn’t surprising when he was asked for some Schroeder history, he heaped praise on his colleagues. He cited the late Shirley Kramer, his mentor who made Title IX meaningful at Lexington, the late Don Eiker for his ability to build and coordinate a program, Ed Moore for his skill in recognizing the individual strengths of his athletes, and his fellow teachers E.K. Berry and Jeff Krumwiede for their master teaching.
Teaching and coaching success for Mr. Al Schroeder are readily apparent. Like Mrs. Kramer, Al was one of the pioneers in making girls’ sports in Lexington a vibrant and successful reality. These successes, though, pale in comparison to his success as a husband, father, and friend. That romance that began in Charleston is now well into its fourth decade. His son Jacob followed his mother’s lead and is a Network Security Analyst at State Farm, and son Keanan is basking in Florida’s sun as an Outdoor Recreation Specialist. He and Kaye are proud grandparents of two girls and two boys. This reporter had the privilege of working with Schroeder for 18 years and is proud to certify this – you done good Al!
Mark Your Calendar: The 2025 LEAF Patriot Award will be presented to Al Schroeder on Wednesday, Sept. 3 during the Lexington home volleyball game vs. Dwight. Then, watch for Al this September as he is honored in the Lexington High School Homecoming parade.
