He represented the at all available youth levels. He first played for them at Under-13 level at the primary schoolsCraven Week tournament in 2005. In 2008, he played for their Under-16 side at the Grant Khomo Week, which also led to his inclusion in a South African Under-16 Elite Squad. He played for the Under-18s at the 2009 Academy Week and the 2010 Craven Week tournaments, top-scoring for the Lions and being selected for a South African Under-18 High Performance Squad in 2010, which played against France, England and Namibia. He played for the side in the 2010 Under-19 Provincial Championship, making two appearances, and played a full season in the 2011 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring 97 points in eleven starts. He also made one appearance at Under-21 level in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship. He reached the century mark in both of the next two seasons for the. In 2012, he scored 131 points in twelve starts, the second most in the competition behind the s Fred Zeilinga and in 2013, he made thirteen starts and scored 156 points to once again finish second in the scoring charts, this time behind s Tim Swiel. He also won the award for the Lions Backline Player of the Year in 2013. Schmidt was included in the South Africa Under-20 squad that played at the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship held in South Africa. He made his appearance in the competition, their final pool match against Italy. In 2014, Schmidt played Varsity Cup rugby for Johannesburg-based university side. He kicked thirteen conversions and two penalties to finish as UJ's top scorer for the competition with 43 points.
Golden Lions
Schmidt played for a in a compulsory friendly against the prior to the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division, scoring 10 points in a 28–25 loss, but failed to make the squad for the competition proper. He was included in their squad for the 2012 Vodacom Cup however, and made his debut in that competition against the in Potchefstroom, scoring all his side's points in a 23–16 defeat. He made a total of five appearances during the competition, contributing 37 points. He made one start for them in the 2013 Vodacom Cup, scoring 9 points in their 30–19 defeat against the in Welkom. A further two appearances off the bench followed in the 2014 Vodacom Cup.
