By FRED KRONER
Andrew Norman would agree with the sentiments of actress Judy Garland, whose character in The Wizard of Oz claimed, “There’s no place like home.”
For the Mahomet-Seymour High School senior, home base is more than a building.
“Baseball is like my second home,” Norman said. “COVID took away some of my love for the game.”
His junior season in high school was canceled in 2020 before it started. His senior season got a delayed start, but more than 650 days after he last played in a game for the Bulldogs, the second baseman returned to the field on April 15th.
“That gave me a sense of happiness again,” Norman said.
His feelings were magnified by his recent signing with Danville Area Community College to continue his career.
“In February, I wasn’t sure college baseball was for me,” Norman said. “Getting back on the field helped.
“The first time I stepped on the field this year, I realized I didn’t want it to end. I wanted my career to go longer.”
The issue obviously wasn’t his desire. It was limited opportunities.
I had one other offer (from Ancilla College, in Plymouth, Ind.), but it wasn’t what I wanted,” Norman said. “Coach Flip (Nic DiFilippo) put me in touch with DACC.”
The DACC head coach, Clayton Hicks, has a respect for the players who come from DiFilippo’s M-S program. One of the players on the Jaguars’ 27-win team this spring was former Bulldog Jon Latham.
“Coach DiFilippo reached out to us,” Hicks said. “He said we should be on Andrew, and we jumped on it. Flip is a good person to trust.
“We think Andrew is our type of kid, one who has been overlooked by bigger schools and wants to be at a higher level.”
Hicks acknowledged that DACC isn’t the dream school for most of his recruits.
“No one grows up dreaming of going juco,” Hicks said. “You grow up dreaming of Vanderbilt or LSU, but when the dream opportunities don’t come, you’re left in the situation of ‘What can I do?’”
Playing baseball anywhere is better than playing nowhere, he contends.
“The biggest sell is that junior college can open more doors that are not there right now,” Hicks said.
Norman is a believer.
“It’s a chance to get innings on a good team,” Norman said.
Though COVID-19 hindered the recruiting process, Norman was able to suit up for his summer travel team in 2020, the Champaign Braves.
“The summer helped the exposure part,” Norman said.
DiFilippo said, “I can see Andrew playing second base in college,” though Hicks told Norman he might be used in a variety of roles.
“They told me I’d be utility,” Norman said. “First base and pitcher are about the only spots I don’t see myself playing.”
Hicks, a former DACC player who recently finished his first year as head coach, said he would first work with Norman at the position where he is most comfortable, but indicated nothing is set in stone.
“He’ll start at second, but may transition to the outfield,” Hicks said. “He’ll be up for the challenge.”
For the Bulldogs, Norman has been a fixture in the leadoff spot as a senior.
“He’s a great left-handed leadoff bat,” DiFilippo said. “Makes a lot of contact and sprays the ball around the field, a singles and doubles guy with good foot speed.”
In a recent six-game stretch, Norman struck out just once in 24 plate appearances. For the season, he owns a .311 batting average to go with a team-high 18 stolen bases.
In six of M-S’ first 20 games, Norman has finished with two hits. Five of his hits have been doubles. He has driven in 14 runs.
Norman enjoys batting first in the order.
“I like the pressure of starting off games and finding ways to score runs,” he said.
From the time he took up T-ball as a 5-year-old, Norman has stepped into the batter’s box on the left side.
“I throw right-handed, and batting is all I do left-handed,” Norman said. “I couldn’t swing a bat right-handed. That’s an advantage because we face more right-handed pitchers.”
Norman began high school as a three-sport athlete, adding football and wrestling to his year-round repertoire as a freshman.
As a sophomore, he dropped football. As a junior, he eliminated wrestling, but wound up without a sport when the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancelation of the spring baseball season.
Settling on baseball as his sport of choice, Norman said, was a natural decision.
“It felt right,” he said. “I felt baseball was my best sport and I understood it better.
“When I set foot on the field, I know what I am doing. The other two (sports) were taking away from my love for baseball.
“My goal when I got into high school was to be as good as I could be. It’s nice to have just one main focus.”
Norman earned two varsity letters in wrestling along with two for baseball.
As he looks to the future, the 5-foot-10 Norman holds a realistic perspective.
“I don’t see myself making it to the majors,” he said, “but I hope to have the opportunity to play at a Division I college.
“I’m happy to play two more years of baseball (at DACC), but if the offer is there (for more), I will definitely take it.”
Norman plans on majoring in business at DACC.
