In order to succeed in a sport, you have to practice your hardest. Southern Lehigh Class of 2014 alumna McKenzie Browne takes that to heart, not only in skating to success on the track, but on the ice too.

Browne began her inline skating journey at the age of six when she joined the SOS Speed Team at Bethlehem Skateaway in 2003. Her dream was to become the best of the best in her sport.

“Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be at the highest level of my sport. I made it all the way to the [peak] of Inlines, going to the World Championships eight times,” Browne said. “As I got older and Inline was still not in the Olympics, I knew that to be an Olympian I would have to switch over to the ice. After watching some of my very close friends make the 2018 Olympic team, I knew I wanted to give long track speed skating a chance.”

After graduating from Kutztown University in 2019 with a Bachelor in Arts in Communication, and seeing the success of her close friends, she packed up and moved to Salt Lake City in pursuit of her dreams.

McKenzie’s biggest accomplishment was at the Olympic trials this past January.

 “The achievement I am most proud of so far in my speed skating career is placing sixth in the 500m at the Olympic trials in Milwaukee,” Brown said. “I have only been on the ice for two and a half years, so being able to place high up in the field was motivating.”

Outgoing, dedicated, competitive, motivated, and passionate are some of the words McKenzie uses to describe herself. These qualities helped her balance both school and athletics throughout her Southern Lehigh days.

 “I always thrived when I had more on my plate, so finding the balance between school and sports helped me be a better student and athlete,” she said. “I also have to thank Southern Lehigh for always being so supportive during my time in the district. Having great teachers who worked with me to make sure I had everything I needed while I missed classes for competitions made it an enjoyable experience.”

There were definitely times where being a student athlete was beyond stressful, however. Browne learned how to deal with all the pre-game jitters. With support from her biggest fans, her parents, and her rockin’ pump-up playlist, she hits the ice with confidence and passion. 

“My parents have definitely been my number one supporters through my entire career. I absolutely would not be able to do this without them!” she said. 

After all these years, McKenzie said she still gets nervous before almost every race

“It’s part of what makes me do my best. I always like to look at it as if I’m nervous, then I care about how I’m going to do,” she said. “I’ve learned how to channel it into positive energy instead of negative, and I’ve learned better ways of coping with nerves before competitions.”

High School is an important time where athletes make decisions on what they want to do with their talents. Having been in those shoes, Browne shared some advice.

“Always continue to follow your dreams, no matter how big they are. Whether it’s to play D1 in college or just to find a club team for the pure enjoyment of the sport, play your heart out and enjoy every moment of it,” she said. “For those still in high school, don’t take any moment for granted. Your four years will go by faster than you think!”