Bemidji High School appoints Kristen McRae as new activities director

Micah Friez, The Bemidji Pioneer, Minn.
·2 min read

Sep. 30—BEMIDJI — The Lumberjacks are venturing into a brand new era.

Kristen McRae, a longtime coach and teacher at Bemidji High School, was hired as the school's new activities director on Thursday. She will begin her role on Dec. 1, and

current AD Troy Hendricks will retire

after the Christmas break.

"I'm grateful and thankful for the opportunity," McRae said. "I've got awesome administrators, colleagues and supporters out there. To take on this responsibility is a daunting task. I'm not going to lie, I'm nervous about it. I've got big shoes to fill. But I also think I've got a good system of support to help me be successful."

McRae has a long history at BHS. She began teaching and coaching swimming and diving in Bemidji in 1992. She's coached both the boys and girls program since then, also taking a hiatus as her children grew up.

She's coached the boys swimming and diving team since 2015, but will step down "in order to be accessible for programs who need me at certain times." Rest assured, though, she's leaving the program in the hands of "a phenomenal coach" in co-head coach Woody Leindecker.

McRae has taught Spanish and English at the high school for decades, but will soon leave that behind, as well. To her, it boiled down to having the opportunity to serve students in a different way.

"I wanted to try to make myself valuable in a different lane," she said. "To work with kids who are involved in activities — helping them have an enjoyable experience and help them be successful in life — is always something I've enjoyed doing. This is just another avenue for me."

McRae is believed to be the first female AD in Bemidji High School history.

Prior to her time with the Lumberjacks, McRae attended Wayzata High School. She also swam in college at the University of Nebraska, where she was an All-American in 1988 as a part of the 400-meter medley relay team.

She knows what it takes to compete at the next level, which is something she hopes to instill in today's hopeful collegiate athletes.

"I'm fairly knowledgeable with what it takes to be a participant in collegiate activities and athletics," she said. "I'm hoping that I've got some talents and information that I can deliver to students. ... I'd like to encourage kids to see the bigger picture and give themselves an opportunity to keep pursuing what they love to do."