Orono’s best kept secret this month is senior Mike Choiniere.

This cross country runner, state participant Nordic skier and Orono student, is not very well known around the school.

“I have known Mike since the eighth grade,” senior Silas Ohman said.

If you do not know what Choiniere looks like, let me help. He stands just over six feet, and has curly hair. You will catch him with a hat on and the same Ironman watch on his left wrist every day.

Choiniere is known around the school as the “runner” or the “really good skier,” said senior Jared Church.

Choiniere was the cross county captain for this year’s boys team and was named this year’s boys Nordic captain also.

Choiniere is “simple and quiet,” senior Eric Bakken said. He does not speak unless spoken to and, at times, laughs at himself.

Choiniere went to state last year for Nordic, placing eighth in the section races. Later, Choiniere competed in state where he place 37.

Outside of the courses, Choiniere is beyond interesting. “He knows almost every country and their capital,” Bakken said.

I tested this theory and found out that it was true. “Cambodia” and Choiniere is less than a two seconds, “Phnom Penh”
Choiniere is into the classic movies, like the Rocky series, The Terminator, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

“Mike can quote a lot of those movies,” Ohman said.

“I can quote some of those movies,” Choiniere said.

Besides movies and countries, as a kid Choiniere went through a phase of dinosaurs. “He knew every type of dinosaurs,” sophomore Johnny Schmid said.

“He also knew what type of train was coming by the sound of their whistle,” Schmid said.

Choiniere said “once I learn something, I don’t forget it.”

Choiniere enjoys the “social sciences, like history, but I am not going to major in that.”

Choiniere hopes to study “earth science or geology.” He does not plan to stay in cold Minnesota, rather he hopes to go up to the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan and plans on attending Michigan Tech.

“I like how it’s isolated and they have a really good school too.”

Choiniere hopes to lead the Nordic team towards a state appearance and hopes to be one of the top skiers in the state this year.