Kirk Norton

Bryce Alderton

It started with winning a punt, pass and kick football skills

competition when he was smaller in stature, but the desire and

dedication has never left.

For 39-year-old Kirk Norton, a Costa Mesa resident and a five-year

coach in the Newport-Mesa Jr. All-American Football league, teaching

the game of football is a passion, an opportunity for him to give

back to the game he loves.

Norton played Jr. All-American for five years growing up before

competing at Newport Harbor High, where he also played volleyball and

track. Norton, a defensive and running back in addition to handling

place-kicking and long-snapping duties, said his highlight with the

Sailors came in 1979 when Newport upset Edison, 17-13, in the Tars’ homecoming game. The Chargers finished 12-2 to win the CIF Big Five

Conference championship that year while Newport went 2-5-3.

Norton received national letters of intent prior to tearing

ligaments in his knee during the fourth game of his senior season

(1981) while playing defensive back. The letters soon stopped and

Norton spent a year rehabilitating his knee before enrolling at

Golden West College, where he played for two years before attending

Long Beach State to study sociology.

After college Norton spent two years in Europe and Japan modeling

clothing before returning to Costa Mesa, where he has lived the past

eight years with his wife of 14 years, Julie, and their two children,

Parker (11), and 9-year-old Tatum.

Norton coached the Jr. All-American Clinic (9-11 year old)

Seahawks this fall with friend Kevin Hatcher, one of several

instructors that he said has influenced him. Former Newport Harbor

coaches John McGee (football assistant) and Bob Hailey ( (track and

field) are two others Norton noted for their assistance and guidance.

“(Hatcher) and I have the same passion for (coaching football),”

Norton said. “We really enjoy the kids.”

Next fall Parker will compete in Costa Mesa’s Pop Warner football

league.

Norton hasn’t decided if he will coach. He is switching leagues to

allow Parker to play “down with guys his own size.”

When Norton played in NMJAA, league teams from Orange, Huntington

Beach, Tustin and Yorba Linda dueled with squads from Newport Beach,

Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa.

Teams from these locales still play one another but now the

competition has expanded to places such as Compton and Inglewood.

“Compton and all these places have good athletes that could

compete if they just came out,” Norton said. “In the last two years

since I’ve been involved, there have been at least 20-30 players

brought into the league just by word of mouth.”

Norton would eventually like to land a job as a high school

freshman football coach and was in contact with assistants from Mater

Dei and Foothill head coach Doug Case last month, but nothing has

materialized as of yet.

“I (coach) as a hobby,” Norton said. “I’ve told athletic directors

I would coach for a minimal amount.”