Onekama Coach, Dale Miller, is inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame

<--Mr. Sandy, Mr. Whitmore and Curt Mathieu attended the induction as well as several of Coach Miller's children.

On Sunday, September 19th, Dale was inducted to the Michigan High School Coaches Association - Hall of Fame at a very nice banquet at Central Michigan University.

In order for a coach to be considered for the induction, they must have coached at least 25 years and be nominated by his peers.

Coach Dale Miller recently received two more awards of honor as a Ski coach to add to the Exclusive Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame Award he received a month or so ago. Dale was also inducted into the Michigan Ski Coach Hall of Fame as well as receiving Regional Coach of the Year.

One of the requirements for being nominated for induction into the State of Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame is at least 25 years of coaching service. This Hall of Fame includes coaches for all sports in the State. Dale has surpassed this requirement with over 30 years of Ski team coaching. Coach Miller added that being nominated and then voted in by your peers at the Regional level makes it all that more special. His ski coach peers nominated and then voted him for Regional Ski Coach of the Year after last years ski regionals where he led Onekama's Boys Ski Team to the State Finals with a second place finish for the boys team. Two girls team members also qualified as individuals. Dale has taken many ski athletes to State as Individuals over his years as Ski coach. His induction into the Michigan Ski Coaches Hall of Fame recently made his team members hearts soar with pride. Dale was voted into the Michigan Ski Coaches Hall of Fame by ski coaches from across the State.

At the Michigan High School Ski Coaches Association induction, John Peppler stated," Dale has exhibited the selfless energy that best represents the MHSSCA purpose for over 30 years of coaching high school ski racing. That is keeping the student athlete at the center of the goal. Dale is most deserving of this award."

Mark Fisher sent these comments to the induction to be read," I regret missing the annual ski coaches meeting this year for obvious reasons, but more importantly I regret not being here to share in the induction of Dale Miller into the Hall of Fame. I have been a friend and colleague, coaching in the same conference with Dale for almost 30 years. Dale coaches in a small school and because it is a small school, hasn't always sent teams to the big races. So a lot of other coaches may not know him. But, on a local level, Dale has done more for high school ski racing around the Crystal Mt. area than any other coach I know of has. He has spent endless hours helping kids get into the ski racing, working with parents and school administrators. He has pioneered school co-op programs so that small schools could join together to field teams. More importantly, he has done all this with no self-interest in mind. He has never tooted his own horn, but always did what was "best for the kids". I am honored to have Dale join the other distinguished coaches in our Hall of Fame. My sincere congratulations to Dale and thanks for all of your contributions to a sport we all love so much".

Looking back over his career, Coach Miller remembers when there was no Crystal Mountain. He raced on Cadillac's high school ski club back in the early 50's at Boyne, Nubs Nob, and Briar Hill. In the infancy of the ski club at Cadillac, they only raced a couple of area schools. Coach Miller also competed in CUSSA. Dale raced for Michigan Tech at the college level where the team went to theNationals three times. There was no giant slalom back then and they competed for the Ski Meister Award doing Ski Jumping, Cross Country, Downhill and Slalom.

Dale has seen equipment and events changed over the years and always adapted to the latest equipment and techniques. Coming back from a 2-3 year retirement of ski coaching recently, he was quick to take to the new shaped skis and updated techniques, jumping right in with the team members during special training clinics with some of the top race trainers in the nation out in Colorado. So, while Dale jokes he is old and that is why he received all three of these awards, he is not a coach from the "old school" when it comes to technique and equipment. He truly deserves to be honored, as he is the essence of ski racing.

Main Onekama School Page: http://www.onekama.k12.mi.us