Scott “Big Schu” Schuhmann
December 3rd 1944 - May 25, 2025
Scott Schuhmann moved his family to Half Moon Bay in 1989 after accepting a job to coach offensive line for Stanford University. He said moving to the Coastside was one of the best decisions he ever made. He passed peacefully and gracefully at the age of 80 at his home in Princeton by the Sea, surrounded by his family.
He’ll be lovingly remembered for approaching every aspect of his life with relentless positivity and drive: as an all-American tight end, in his career coaching football, becoming a husband, father, and grandfather, and, in retirement, mentoring aspiring student athletes.
Scott was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in nearby La Verne. He quickly developed into a multi-sport athlete at Bonita High School, thanks to the encouragement of his parents. Scott played both sides of the ball for Mt. Sac Junior College before being recruited by the University of Tulsa to play tight end. Scott thrived at the elite level of college football, helping Tulsa break into the top 10 rankings. Despite professional offers, a knee injury sidelined his playing career, setting the stage for his future in coaching.
Those that touch our lives .... stay in our hearts forever.
Scott met his wife, Berni, while a graduate assistant at Northern Arizona University. Scott landed his first coaching position at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he and Berni soon married and had their daughter, Gillian. A coaching role at Northwestern University brought them to Chicago, and their son Aron came shortly after. An opportunity in the CFL brought the family to Winnipeg before he arrived at Stanford.
Scott’s twenty years of coaching and administrating sports at Stanford were some of the highlights of his life. The high-performance, high-integrity culture of Stanford athletics in the 90s and 2000s forged some of his deepest friendships and produced his proudest professional achievements: bowl appearances, career-defining wins against Texas and Notre Dame, players he’d recruited succeeding in the NFL, and coaching alongside greats like Dennis Green, Bill Walsh, and Tyrone Willingham.
He ended his career at Stanford and then Cal, where he project-managed the construction of their new stadiums. Fitting monuments to his body of work. He settled down on the coastside, advising student athletes at Half Moon Bay High to secure scholarships to continue playing at the next level. He was deeply passionate about helping kids achieve their full potential.
Scott personified dedication. When he suffered repeated health setbacks, he focused all his energy on two things: a daily commitment to increasing his longevity and connecting with the people who had a positive impact on his life. Anyone walking along the coastal trail, and later anyone living on Bridgeport Drive, was certain to see Scott getting his steps in each day, rain or shine. A walker and an oxygen mask were no match for his relentlessness.
He lived an exceptional life. Scott leaves behind a loving family with heavy but full hearts. He is survived by his wife, Berni Schuhmann; his daughter, Gillian Parkhurst, and her husband, Justin Parkhurst, of Tetonia, Idaho; his son, Aron Schuhmann, and his wife, Drew Follette, of Hilo, Hawaii; his granddaughters, Mia and Zoe Parkhurst; and his brother, Charles Schuhmann, and his wife, Rushean Schuhmann, of Dallas, Texas
