John M. Normand
Year Inducted: 2007
Birthdate: April 29, 1956 -
Town/City: Berlin, NH
Johnny Normand is the consummate Berlin, New Hampshire hockey player – long on heart, rich in talent, plenty of accomplishments for his efforts and possessed of a stout reputation as one of the best in the City’s history.
His interest in hockey first began in the cellar of the Normand homestead where a family friend and coach, Don Huot, played ball hockey. John later laced up his skates for the first time at St. Joseph’s School and later became a player on Berlin’s first Pee Wee travel team. The rest is history.
During his four years as a BHS Mountaineer (1970-71 through 1973-74), he accumulated a long list of achievements. Among them are: A State Championship 4-3 overtime win against Hanover (’74) sparked by his game-winning goal just 16 seconds into the overtime; twice nominated Athlete of the Month by the Union Leader newspaper; played on a line that still holds the State schoolboy record for single-season scoring; had a career scoring mark of 86 goals/92 assists; led BHS to a record of 69-30-1 during four years; was team Co-Captain his junior season; and Captain and MVP his senior year.
In the spring of 1974, he began play with the Berlin Junior Maroons, joining the team for its final 17 games in which he scored 23 goals and 16 assists. The Maroons won the league title. His next two seasons for the Maroons brought more successes. He twice led the New England Junior Hockey League in scoring (42 G/59 A in 45 games) (79 G/75 A in 48 games) and twice was selected to the US Junior All-America team, marking the first time one player was selected twice. He was named Athlete of the Month by the Union Leader in 1975, and again in 1976, this time by the widest-ever voting margin in the Award’s 16-year history.
His career at the University of New Hampshire (1976-1980) brought more successes. John played in 102 games scoring 29 goals while assisting on 34 more for 63 points. UNH was an ECAC Runner-up in 1977, and the ECAC Champion in 1979. Twice, too, UNH was an NCAA Frozen Four finalist. His senior year, he was voted both the Unsung Hero Award and the Warren Brown Memorial Award as the Top Defensive forward.
His post-college play was with the Concord Budmen (1980-84), and in 1981 Concord beat Berlin for the New England Hockey League title. In his four years with the club, the team record was 61-26-3.
For 23 years, he has worked with youth hockey youngsters in Concord, Exeter, Dover and with the Seacoast Spartans, which won State and Regional bantam and midget titles.
Recently, John completed his 5th season as Assistant Coach at Winnicunnet High School in Hampton. Also, he has patented a dry-land training stick and is currently negotiating with several companies. He views this invention as potentially his “greatest contribution to the sport.”
John M. Normand – Class of 2007
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