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BEA’s Rob Norman leaving his AD position

After 27 years, he’s making a change in his life and job choice

By Kevin Mertens - Staff Writer | Jun 4, 2023

Rob Norman at his desk, in the office he has had for the past 27 years. He is leaving the position and Travis Armstrong is taking over the job.

For the first time in 27 years, Blue Earth Area High School students will find someone new occupying the office of activities director/dean of students when they return to class next fall, because Rob Norman has decided it is time for him to make a change in his life.

Norman became the activities director/dean of students following the retirement of Dick Maher, who had held the position for 22 years. Maher had followed in the footsteps of Chuck Beyer, who also held the position for over 20 years.

Norman actually began his career at BEA in 1991 as an elementary physical education teacher, an assistant football coach, head gymnastics coach and an assistant boys’ track coach.

That is over three decades of wearing the Maroon and Gold which is quite the number of years for a guy who grew up sporting Cardinal Red.

“After graduating from Fairmont, I got my college degree from Mankato State University and then I went back and coached at Fairmont for a year,” Norman explains. “So, when I took the job at BEA, some of the Fairmont people gave me a bad time about being a traitor.”

It did not take him long to adapt to the change from being a Fairmont Cardinal to a Blue Earth Area Buccaneer.

“The change was good,” Norman says. “The families, the staff and the community made me feel at home – so I stayed.”

Norman’s father was a dairy farmer who decided to quit farming. He then became the Buildings and Grounds supervisor for Fairmont Schools.

“I still had the opportunity to work on farms and I loved it,” Norman comments. “I walked a lot of beans and also helped many farmers bale hay, which was our form of weight lifting growing up.”

While attending MSU Norman obtained his major in physical education and minors in coaching and adapted physical education.

“Three years after coming to Blue Earth I became the head boys’ track coach,” Norman says. “That lasted until I talked the head girls’ coach, Tom Plocker, into combining the programs a couple of years later with him becoming the head coach.”

As one can imagine, he has had a number of good experiences during his 30-plus years at BEA.

“Truly, my favorite part of the job has been being given the opportunity to build relationships with the kids,” Norman comments. “I have also enjoyed the challenge of organizing and running events.”

There have also been some good memories because of his involvement in sports.

“To come in and coach the gymnastics team when I had very little experience in that sport and see the team go to State was very rewarding,” he shares. “Watching the 2012 football team’s run to the State Championship was also thrilling. It was a tremendous community builder and it was fun seeing all of the maroon and gold colors in the Metrodome.”

Norman has also had the opportunity to watch his own children, daughters, Alissa and Lindsey, and sons, Luke and Jack, compete in sports at BEA.

But, that also comes to a close at the end of this school year when Jack, the youngest of the children, graduates from BEA.

Norman credits one of his former coaches at Fairmont, Ron Hested, for planting the seed for Norman to go into the education profession.

“It was after a practice and coach Hested’s son took off with the car and left his father to walk home so I offered him a ride,” Norman explains. “He said, ‘Norman, what are going to do when you graduate?’ I replied I didn’t really know and he suggested I give teaching a try.”

Now, his three oldest children have chosen to also get involved in education. Alissa is an elementary teacher at United South Central, Lindsey teaches in the math department at BEA and Luke is finishing up his first year at Minnesota State – Mankato while pursuing an education degree.

“Jack has said nope, I’m getting a business degree,” Norman says with a laugh.

Norman was honored at this year’s Lion’s Club Athletic Program with the Fan of the Year Award.

In presenting the award to Norman, BEA football coach Randy Kuechenmeister said, “For over 30 years, Rob Norman has been a cheerleader of student-athletes and coaches alike, supporting with uplifting words, giving positive feedback or enthusiastically cheering when it is needed. From State championships to middle school events, he has been there because he is passionate about giving the students of BEA a rewarding experience. He has had an active role in our activities and has done a lot behind the scenes to help them be successful.”

The athletic fields and courts are not the only place he will be missed.

Jody Eckhardt, the high school administrative assistant, appreciates the way Norman approached his job.

“He always tried to inject a little fun into the office,” Eckhardt comments. “He is a practical joker.”

But, Eckhardt notes, it wasn’t just the fun he brought to the office.

“He worked from sunup until sundown and sometimes longer during the school year,” she mentions. “I do not think people realize the time he puts into the job. He is always willing to help out wherever there is a need.”

But, just to clarify, Norman is not retiring from the workforce, he is just making a switch in his profession.

“Beginning in July, I will be working for Midwest Sports and Turf Systems,” he explains. “The company is based out of Northern Illinois and I will be covering Minnesota, Iowa and eastern South Dakota.”

He confesses he really was not looking to make a job change.

“But, awhile ago, Ryan Anderson, a BEA graduate from the late 1990s who works for the company, contacted me and the discussion began and this is where it led,” Norman says.

A large part of making his decision has to do with the one person in his family not mentioned thus far in this article, his wife Marnie, who works at the school as a speech therapist.

“She has been my biggest supporter over the years,” Norman shares. “I want to be able to spend more time with her and my family and my new job will allow me to do that.”

The school did not have to look far for Norman’s successor. BEA teacher and coach Travis Armstrong will be assuming the position.

When asked what words of wisdom he would share with his successor, Norman shares he told Armstrong the same thing Maher told him 27 years ago.

“He handed me two key rings full of keys and told me which key opened the concession stand and which one opened my office because those were the two most important ones,” Norman explains. “Then he told me it was my job now and I should do it my way. But, he said, ‘I’ll be here if you have any questions, I may or may not have the answers. You have to do it your way.'”