This year Bill Reiss will have a different view from his office window at Lake Orion High School.
On July 1, Reiss, formerly an associate principal, was named the new athletic director, replacing Jim Wood who retired on June 30. Reiss, 52, is going into his 31st year with Lake Orion Schools.
“I started at (Scripps Middle School) and taught for 21 years as a math and science teacher,” he said. “In 1981 I moved to the high school and taught math, then nine years ago I became an associate principal.”
When the athletic director position opened up, Reiss was ready for change.
“It’s a little different and I’m hoping it’s more positive (than being a principal)…Before I was so focused on discipline,” he explained.
Reiss earned his Bachelor’s Degree in math from Michigan State University, and his Master’s Degree from Wayne State University. He is a few credits away from obtaining a Doctorate there as well.
“I’ve been a coach for about 20 years,” Reiss said. “Before I was a principal, I coached cross country, basketball and track…and numerous junior high activities.”
Reiss grew up in Warren and graduated from Warren Fitzgerald High School, which is where he first learned about Lake Orion Schools.
“We played Lake Orion,” said Reiss. “I sent resumes to all the schools we played, and I came (to Lake Orion) and was hired on the spot.”
Moving from Warren to Lake Orion as it was then was something of a “cultural shock” for Reiss.
“It was a much easier, laid back lifestyle,” said Reiss, now a Lake Orion resident.
“When I first started teaching, I lived in Oxford Lakes…When I took the administrative role, I thought Lake Orion education was top notch…my kids went (to Lake Orion Schools)…so we moved to Heather Lakes,” he said.
Reiss and his wife Karen, married nearly 25 years, have a son, Ryan, who is a soon-to-be graduate of Michigan State University, and another son, Brandon, who graduated from LOHS last year and will be a freshman at Albion this fall.
Both boys played sports at LOHS, with Ryan in football, basketball and track; and Brandon a diver with the swim team.
“I’m really excited about (the athletic director position),” said Reiss. “The change itself is great. I think this is the golden age of Lake Orion athletics.”
Reiss likes the mix of young, capable staff with veteran coaches that he finds at LOHS.
“Everyone is incredibly supportive,” he said. “The facilities are phenomenal.”
Reiss admits he misses being in the classroom, where he earned Teacher of the Year honors in 1981.
“I had some positive experiences teaching math,” he said. “Being a coach, I remember kids coming over on the weekend and spending time with my wife and myself.”
Reiss was a cross country and track runner, and a basketball player himself in high school, and played some football up until junior high. He likes the particular class of athletes at LOHS right now.
“We have tremendous athletes here, and I want to make sure they play through the year,” he said. “Whether they go on to Division I, I.A.A., whatever.”
Some challenges he’ll face as athletic director include limited space on LOHS’ current athletic fields.
“Our fields, many are being affected…Open spaces available next year are not online so we’ll be cramped,” he said. “I also want to see improvement in some of our sports…They’ll be my focus early on.”
Reiss believes “men are limited by the smallness of their minds,” so he’s “thinking big.”
“I want to see team work,” he said.
Reiss is an unconventional athletic director because in his free time you usually won’t find him on the courts or the golf course; you’ll probably find him in a theatre.
“What I really enjoy is going to plays, the theatre,” he said. “I love Shakespeare, and reading some of the classic novels and poetry.”