OCCUPATION:  Sports director at WILI (1400-AM) in Willimantic

BACKGROUND:  After majoring in business administration at UConn, and working at WADS in Ansonia, Norman joined WILI in 1970.  A year later, he became the station’s morning man, which got him involved with sports.  He has remained there since.

IN THE NEWS:  Norman has been a member of the Connecticut Radio Network since 1981, doing color commentary for UConn football and basketball.  He has also covered two Super Bowls and five World Series.  He has done play-by-play for over 100 ECSU baseball games, including the Warriors’ 1982 national championship, what he considers his professional highlight.  “Nothing can come close to that,” he says.  He is also program director at the station, and still does the morning show.

QUOTABLE:  “With the other things I do like the music and weather, sports is almost a relief at times.  Some people sit down after a hard day’s work and watch a game.  I go and broadcast a game.  It keeps me fresh.”

SPOTLIGHT:  Norman had an auspicious first time doing play-by-play.  In the NAIA national tournament in Virginia in 1973, he broadcast from a phone booth where he couldn’t see all the field.  In the winter, when CRN takes him up and down the East Coast, he still gets back in time to catch a few hours sleep before his morning show at 5 a.m.

NEXT:  WILI has broadcast just one ECSU baseball game this season, but Norman is looking to possibly broadcasting the national tournament if Eastern gets that far.  Summertime is his slow period, and then he starts back up with UConn football and basketball.