The Hare that Loves Tortoises: Norrie
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There is one coach at Darien High School that almost everybody knows. He coaches girls’ cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. He is also the owner of the local store on Post Road, Runner’s Roost. His name is Steve Norris, but to his “trackies” he is known affectionately as “Norrie.” Norrie has coached every cross country and track season, except for three, since 1976 at DHS.
Norrie earned his endearing title in the 1977 cross country season by a runner named Carol Bothwell. The name caught on quickly and soon enough everybody was calling him Norrie.
Norrie is an accomplished runner himself. He graduated from New Canaan High School in 1963 and ran both cross country and track. His favorite event was the 800 meter, as he excelled in both distance and speed work.Yet, Norrie’s favorite part of coaching is “being able to prove to people that they can accomplish things that they previously thought they couldn’t.”
Norrie decided to become a coach in high school. As a high school track runner, he was frustrated with the way his coach would sometimes put kids in events they didn’t belong in, and he believed he could do a better job.
In all his years of coaching, Norrie says his biggest accomplishment was “developing a program which people choose because of the attention it will get and the tradition it has.” He also is proud of the respect that both the cross country and track teams have earned. They have performed very well in many FCIAC championships and States meets in the past years.
The cross country and track runners share a special bond with Norrie and know that he is not just your average coach. Sophomore and track runner Charlotte Phillips says, “He knows a lot about track, not just the running, but what makes a runner.” Norrie says that his favorite part about spending time with his runners is that “they always seem happy to see me.” This sentiment is certainly true.
Freshman cross country runner Maggie Close says, “I can’t express my love for Norrie in words.” Phillips is almost speechless as well and says, “I don’t think there are words to express the greatness and joy Norrie brings to my track experience.” Sophomore cross country runner Claire Streeter says that what she loves about Norrie is his individuality. Perhaps the perfect emblem to Norrie’s individuality is the forever infamous Norrie Van.
If you have not already seen the Norrie Van, it is the long navy blue vehicle that is often parked outside the music wing everyday after school during track or cross country season. Norrie drives his van to and from practice every day and it is also used to carry water, equipment, and, of course, runners that might need a ride back to school. The Norrie Van is also taken to most of the track meets. Four years ago, there was a contest where runners submitted names for the van and then the team voted on the name. “Hot Wheels” was the winner, but Norrie noticed that “Hot Wheels” quickly died and everybody just called it the Norrie Van, after its beloved owner.
The van was replaced two years ago, and although the former one had many memories with it, the new Norrie Van- a 2006 General Motors- is just as special.
If you were ever lucky enough to take the Norrie Van instead of the bus, you know that it is quite an experience. “The Norrie Van is the only real way to travel,” says Phillips. Close says that she loves the Norrie Van because “it’s always playing ABBA, and Norrie always has great stories to tell that make us laugh and he always does very unexpected things.” One unexpected thing is Norrie’s love for a particular reptile. “On the way back from a meet I asked him what kind of turtle he would want to be and he gave us a 15-minute summary on his favorite turtle,” Close added.
Something the athletes find interesting about Norrie is this special love for turtles. “My favorite animal is the turtle because I can run faster and it makes me feel good,” Norrie says jokingly. Close says, “Norrie is always telling us great stories about turtles and he’s our local turtle expert and he is always teaching us fun facts about turtles.” The turtle is also the symbol for Norrie’s summer running camp.
As you can see, the DHS runners love Norrie. He has a unique sense of humor, a famous van, and he’s an expert on turtles. Most of all, Norrie is dedicated to coaching and helping athletes perform to the best of their abilities.
