During the Daily Item spring sports All-Star ceremony Tuesday evening, coaches said a few words with the microphone after accepting their Coach of the Year plaques. The final award was given to Marblehead softball coach Johnny Gold, who made sure to include a special someone.
The team lost a valuable member on Opening Day in assistant coach Todd Norman, who died suddenly at age 61. Norman owned a landscaping business, graduated from Marblehead High in 1980, and remained in town throughout his life.
In front of everyone sitting on the Manning Field bleachers, Gold said he was accepting the award on behalf of Norman, and spoke about the friendship they had for more than a decade.
Sports are more than just games, you could say. They bring people together to focus on a common goal.
And, boy, did the Magicians play like it.
They finished off a 21-5 season in Division 2 with a trip to the Final 4. Despite meeting elimination against fourth-ranked Westfield, what a spring it was.
When the team heard the news of its coach’s passing, it decided – from that point on – that the season was for Norman. The Magicians paid homage to him before every game by passing around his Fungo bat and glove.
After an Elite 8 win against top-ranked Silver Lake Regional, Gold touched upon his friend’s impact.
“It’s been an honor to play in his memory. I wish we didn’t have to, but it’s given us a goal,” Gold said. “We have 21 wins. It’s unbelievable.”
One player who stepped up her game during that stretch was an All-Star on Tuesday: Tessa Francis. Only a sophomore, the star Northeastern Conference pitcher appeared in 156 innings and recorded 269 strikeouts. Oh, and she recorded a 0.94 ERA, to boot.
In the end, Gold thanked his players for the incredible season they had together. The Magicians all fought for a common goal – one revolving around Norman.