Durant High School baseball coach Ron Norman is a finalist for the Oklahoma Sports Museum State Coach of the Year.
The winner will be named at the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association Awards Banquet at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bricktown Hotel and Convention Center in Oklahoma City.
Norman is a 1980 graduate of Durant High, a three-year letterman, an All-District player and team captain on the 1979 state championship football team. He was also a member of the 1978 state runner-up squad. He was a two-year letterman in baseball, but was unable to play as a senior due to a football injury.
He has served as head baseball coach for the Lions the last two years and his teams have a combined 53-27 (.663 winning percentage) record. His overall record is 206-110.
In 2012, Durant won the first regional baseball crown since 1993 and went on to post the first victory in state-tournament competition in 82 years with an 8-2 triumph over Guthrie in the opening round.
The 2012 Lions finished with a 30-12 record to log the first 30-win season in recent history. Durant was runner-up in the Class 5A-3 district tournament, regional champion and state semifinalist.
Norman returned to Durant in 2007 as assistant football and girls soccer head coach. He guided the girls to a 39-8 record and three-consecutive appearances in the regional tournament.
He was named All-State soccer coach and led the West team to its first victory in 10 years.
Overall, he has coached five All-State soccer players and two All-State baseball players since his return to Durant High School.
Norman said, “It’s a tremendous honor not just for me, but out entire program to be considered for this award. We had a lot of hard-working, dedicated, loyal kids and coaching staff who were focused on one goal. Our senior class did an outstanding job of leaving a legacy that our younger kids will build upon.”
As an added bonus for Durant High baseball fans, the Durant Diamondbackers are sponsoring a DHS Baseball Alumni Game on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex.
All former Lion baseball players are invited to attend and participate. To sign up or for more information, contact Derrick Haworth at 580-916-0380 or Kevin Farr at 580-775-1984 or kevin.farr@durant isd.org.
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