EAST LANSING — Over nearly 30 years, Nikki Norris has impacted educational athletics in nearly every role possible as a teacher and athletic director at multiple schools, coach at various levels and game official.

Her many and continuing contributions were celebrated Sunday, when she received the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s 33rd Women In Sports Leadership Award during the WISL Banquet at the Crowne Plaza Lansing West.

Each year, the Representative Council considers the achievements of women coaches, officials and athletic administrators affiliated with the MHSAA who show exemplary leadership capabilities and positive contributions to athletics.

Norris is in her second year as athletic director at East Lansing High School after eight in that position for Corunna Public Schools. She previously taught for six years at Carson City-Crystal and then 11 at Corunna before taking over the Cavaliers’ athletic department during the summer of 2010. She coached volleyball at multiple levels for more than 15 years including Corunna’s varsity from 1999-2002 and 2006-09, and also coached high school basketball for a combined eight years during her time at the two schools where she taught. Before and between her volleyball coaching stints, Norris also has served as an MHSAA registered volleyball official for a total of 12 years.

“I try to connect with all students, athletes or not, because there are so many kids who just need a connection,” Norris said. “And if we can find it through sports, or through clubs, or teaching — I do look at them all as my own children, to a certain extent. We used to say in Corunna, ‘They’re all our kids.’ And I want them to be successful in whatever it is they want. And if I can help them, that’s what I’m there for.”

Those who wrote letters recommending Norris for this year’s WISL Award especially noted the personal impact she has on students, staff and colleagues, locally and on wide-ranging levels.

While at Corunna, Norris served as master scheduler and part of the constitution committee for the Genesee Area Conference. Her schools have hosted various MHSAA Tournament events in multiple sports, in addition to local invitationals and conference meets. She served on every type of MHSAA Committee, providing input on a variety of sports, site selection, officials selection and the Scholar-Athlete Award. She also annually volunteers as a tournament administrator at the MHSAA’s Volleyball Finals in November and Baseball/Softball/Girls Soccer Finals in June.

“Nikki is one of the most genuine, caring and hard-working people I’ve ever met in athletics,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “She has worked extremely hard in both Corunna and East Lansing to develop a first-class program that produced high-character people. Nikki is truly a role model to everyone in the world of athletic administration.”

A certified Red Cross instructor, Norris has provided CPR/AED training to coaches, bus drivers and staff members. Corunna in multiple years received the state’s HEARTSafe School designation recognizing preparedness to respond to cardiac emergencies.

As a member of the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, she has facilitated sessions and presented at its conferences and served on the newsletter committee.

She was named the MIAAA’s Region 7 Athletic Director of the Year in 2016. She also has received Certified Athletic Administrator designation from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.