With a growing accountant practice, Norm McKee said he will no longer be able to devote the time necessary to helm the Lake Orion High School Varsity Skiing program.
McKee, who owns McKee & Company PC, located on Baldwin Road across from Friendship Park, has coached the boys and girls varsity ski teams for eight years, but decided to step down after this past season.
‘The company has really taken off, which is a good thing,? he said. ‘Being a coach January through February is hard for a certified public accountant. I can’t give the program the time it deserves.?
McKee, who grew up in Waterford, said he always wanted to be a high school coach, and took five years off work to do it.
‘I focused on coaching,? he said. ‘The program (at LOHS) had talented kids, but was faltering. We had 15 kids coming back at that time and we saw it as a challenge.?
McKee helped turn the program around, and this past year 40 kids raced for Lake Orion.
‘The ski program has been at LOHS since the early 1980’s,? he said. ‘I made the kids who were sophomores when I started, the class of 2000, a promise. I said we could make it to the state finals before they graduated.?
The boys and girls teams went on to appear in five state finals during McKee’s tutelage, and he said that would not have been possible without the support of the families.
‘We had tremendous support,? he said. ‘We grew and grew. This past year we had the largest team in the state.?
McKee coached both his children, daughter Tiffany and son Justin, in the LOHS ski program, and said he was fortunate to work with great kids.
‘We have exceptional scholar athletes,? he said. ‘We had 10 this year.?
In 2002, the Lake Orion boys team finished as runner-up in the state finals, the school’s closest finish to date, score-wise.
‘We’ve had so many familys involved, and we’ve developed a lot of great friendships,? said McKee.
Tiffany McKee graduated from LOHS in 2000, and went on to race in college for Syracuse. She is currently in graduate school at Virginia Commonwealth.
Justin graduated in 2002, and attends Grand Valley State University. He was named to the Michigan Dream Team for skiing in 2002.
‘I still keep in touch with a lot of the kids I coached, and it’s always nice when they stop by the house to say ‘Hi,?? McKee said. ‘We’ve had a lot of kids go on to race in college. Some have even coached with me.?
McKee said his wife of 25 years, Sheree, has been ‘almost like an assistant coach.?
‘She’s done the organizational stuff, she’s helped plan the banquets, the travel and done photography for us,? he said. ‘Without her, it