Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

When Norm Cormier became interested in coaching the Raymond High School football team, he surveyed the situation and found a lot of pieces in place.

• Raymond was already home to a healthy youth program, the Nor-Rock Vikings.
• Raymond football had already established a strong booster program.
• The school had a field to use for home games (107 Field).
• Most of the school's athletes were familiar with Cormier because he works as a social studies teacher at Raymond High School.

Of course Cormier (pictured), who was named the program's first head coach earlier this month, still has plenty to do before Raymond is ready for its first season of football. The Rams will spend two years as a sub-varsity team before joining the state's other varsity programs in 2010.

"The Friends of Raymond Football have done most of the leg work, but there's a lot to do," Cormier said. "We're starting with zero equipment and we're planning to dress 40 kids. We have to go sub-varsity for two years, but that wasn't a problem for me.

"I know the kids. I know they're good athletes. They really want to play."

Cormier, a 57-year-old Manchester resident, has a lengthy coaching resume. His high school experience includes two stints as an assistant coach at Pinkerton Academy. He spent last season as the defensive coordinator at Manchester Memorial, which is where he played his high school football.

Cormier said there are about 20 students who regularly participate in a voluntary weight-lifting program, and that he hopes to play a full junior varsity schedule this season.

"I'd like to get seven or eight games under our belt," he said. "There are some other programs, like Mascoma and the co-op team in Hopkinton and Hillsboro-Deering, who are in the same position we are. There are plenty of teams who want to play us. Some games we may play mostly JVs, other games we may play mostly freshmen. We'll just have to see what the other teams want to do."

Cormier, who also showed interest in the Manchester Memorial coaching job, said he plans to use the Wing-T offense because of its versaility. "It allows you to use your strengths," he said. "You're not tied to one thing."

Raymond High School will team up with the Nor-Rock Vikings for a football information night on June 3 (6 p.m.). Cormier said strong community support is another reason the Raymond job appealed to him.

"I know there are a lot of kids who played for the Nor-Rock Vikings, but didn't have the opportunity to play in high school," Cormier said. "They had to go to St. Thomas or Trinity just so they could play football. Now they have a place to play."