Coach Jim Norman and Senior Defenseman (and Captain) Andrew Norman have helped Herndon Hockey to achieve a winning season. The stormin’ Normans are exciting to watch on the ice. I have seen several of their games, and would go again in the future. As reported in the Washington Post High School Sports section, “Their success is all the more remarkable considering they were a provisional team the past three years, meaning they had to merge with other schools just to field a team. Last year, playing with Annandale, they finished 2-7-1.

The last time Herndon was on its own, for the 2004-05 season, it went 1-9. So how to explain the sudden turnaround? “I’d love to tell you it was brilliant coaching,” Hornets Coach Jim Norman said. “But the high school league is so much about the luck of the draw. Unlike the travel teams, where you get people competing for a spot, in the high school league, you get what you get. And unlike football, where you have 100 kids, you’re hoping you’ll have enough to put out a team.” The newspaper goes on to report, “The Hornets have 15 players this season, including two goalies, so they can use only two full lines. But they have more experienced talent than ever, including junior forwards Ville Rutanen (10 goals, 19 assists), Sam Stone (14 goals, six assists) and Max Kortegast (11 goals, nine assists), as well as senior defenseman Andrew Norman (five goals, 14 assists). By Jeff Nelson, Special to The Washington Post, Thursday, January 22, 2009; E06