Jim Wood said he never had any doubt he would one day work in education, but he may be embarking on a second career in the near future after he retires as Lake Orion High School Athletic Director on June 30.
Wood said he decided this year would be his last because it was time for a change.
“I’ve been in it 30 years,” said Wood, a Troy resident since 1988. “It was just time to try something new.”
Wood said the news somewhat surprised his family: Wife Roma, and his three children; a son, an Adrian College graduate; his youngest son, a senior at Ball State University; and his daughter, a freshman at the same school.
“They’ve been supportive…My kids say I’ll finally have something in my wardrobe other than green and white,” joked Wood, who became athletic director five years ago.
Wood grew up in the town of Spring Port, Michigan, north of Albion, and got his start in education in Lake Orion Schools after graduating from Central Michigan University. He first worked as a seventh, eighth and ninth-grade science teacher at then Junior High East, now Scripps Middle School. He was there for 24 years.
Wood also spent one year as a science teacher at LOHS prior to being named athletic director. He always wanted to be an educator.
“Every since I was in high school,” he said. “I had a math teacher I really liked.”
Wood liked his time in administration, but still misses teaching.
“I enjoyed it,” he said, adding, however, that the athletic director position fit.
“I’d been involved in athletics since I’d been at Lake Orion, coaching,” said Wood. “It’s kind of a position you look at as a coach if you’d like to be in administration.”
Wood’s biggest challenge as an athletic director has been coordinating all the activities as LOHS continued to grow.
“We were getting bigger, getting more teams and changing facilities,” he said. “I was just trying to make that enjoyable for the kids.”
Wood said as an athletic director he always wanted Lake Orion to be known in the state as an athletic department that others would want to model.
“Not necessarily the organization, but how we handled ourselves,” he explained. “Sportsmanship, how we handle visitors…I always tell parents, we want the student athletes to be visualized, when people say ‘There’s a Lake Orion student.’
“Because they’re such a good citizen and contributor to society,” he said. “If you do those things, the winning and the success naturally follows.”
Wood said among his favorite memories from his time with Lake Orion Schools will be the teams that passed through LOHS.
“How they performed, rather successful in terms of victory or how they handled themselves in defeat,” he said. “I also will look back at how we’ve been successful in running large events…It’s a tribute to the community, school and coaches.”
Wood is proud of Lake Orion’s athletes.
“Whether they go on and get a college scholarship, or the type of person they go on to be in society…Our coaching staff does such a great job,” he said.
“I’ve always believed in athletics as an important part of education…like other activities like band…you learn to deal with adversity and success through athletics.”
Wood was an athlete himself growing up, and has gone on to coach football, basketball and track. He said he is considering coaching after retirement, or becoming an official.
“I haven’t closed that door,” he said of coaching. “I’m looking for sure at becoming an official…I liked doing that, running track meets at the middle school.
“I want to take a couple of months to myself, away from work,” he added. “I just have to figure out what the next step is in my career…I’ll look for another job, but in what direction I don’t know yet.”
Wood is also looking forward to having some free time for things he enjoys.
“I like playing golf, and I haven’t done a lot of it lately,” he said. “I also like to read.”