FERRUM, VA. (THECOUNT) — Ferrum College football legend Hank Norton passed away Wednesday night, reports ferrumpanthers.
According to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, Norton’s coaching career spanned five decades and started at Powhatan High School in 1954.
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Norton signed on to lead the Ferrum Panthers in 1960 and went on to coach the team for 34 years, leading the team to 29 winning seasons and five undefeated seasons.
Norton coached 34 seasons at Ferrum (1960-93), compiling an overall record of 244-77-11. His coaching career started when the Panthers competed at the Junior College (JUCO) level, then transitioned to an NCAA Division III program in 1985. Norton guided Ferrum to NJCAA national titles in 1965, 1968, 1974 and 1977 along with 15 JUCO Region X titles. At the NCAA level, his teams earned four playoffs berths and won South Region titles in 1988 and 1989, according to ferrumpanthers.
Over the years, 42 of Norton’s players went on to sign professional contracts.
Norton received the award of National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1965, ‘68 and ’74 and the title of the Coastal Conference Coach of the Year six times.
Ferrum is a census-designated place in Franklin County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,043 at the 2010 census, an increase of over fifty percent from the 1,313 reported in 2000. Ferrum is home to Ferrum College and its Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, according to Wikipedia.