Over the course of 25 years as athletics director, Norma
Carr took Salt Lake Community College athletics from a small one-sport
operation to a multi-faceted program that achieved national prominence, ushered
in several new facilities and solidified the college’s presence as a perennial regional
and national contender in several sports. In honor of those efforts on May 1, at
12:30 p.m., SLCC will hold a dedication ceremony to formally change the
Taylorsville Redwood Campus Softball Diamond name to Norma Carr Field.
Norma Carr
Carr retired last year and her successor, Kevin Dustin, has
since gained an expanded appreciation of Carr’s impact at SLCC. “I think since
her retirement it has become obvious what an icon she was to this school and
around the country,” Dustin said. “As I have run into people, there is this
connection – no one thinks of SLCC without thinking of Norma. Her influence is
far and wide.”
As Dustin thought about ways to solidify her legacy at SLCC
and all she has meant throughout the NJCAA, he considered her background
coaching softball at the University of Utah and starting a softball program at
SLCC. The current softball field at SLCC’s Taylorsville Redwood Campus is
slated to receive a new scoreboard, and the timing seemed right. “Everything
you see out there is because of Norma, and I thought, ‘What a great opportunity
to say thanks,’” Dustin said. “It came together at the right time for the right
reasons to name the field after her. I received tremendous support from senior
leadership for this.”
SLCC added volleyball, baseball, and softball as
intercollegiate sports and built new softball and baseball fields as well as a
new Lifetime Activities Center for the program’s basketball teams during Carr’s
tenure as Athletic Director. SLCC teams won 25 SWAC Conference Champions, 24
Region 18 Champions, made 30 NJCAA National tournament appearances that
resulted in 6 second-place finishes and one National Championship—Men’s
Basketball in 2009.
When Carr first started at SLCC as the first female to serve
as athletics director over men’s and women’s sports, she brought a “passion”
for the job that became more than a career. “As I learned about the value of a
community college, and as we built the programs and facilities and as I got to
know people at the college, it became a love for me,” Carr said. “My passion
turned into a love for Salt Lake Community College.” She started with a
basketball program and brought volleyball, softball and baseball on board and
either new or improved facilities for all of those sports. Carr coordinated the
business of handling sports, including athlete scholarships, travel budgets and
using college vehicles. She hired coaches that won regional and national
titles. Carr oversaw planning and construction of SLCC’s expansive Lifetime
Activities Center, which benefits each sport as well as college staff, faculty
and students and the surrounding community.
I'm becoming aware of Norma's work and achievement through this article; and hope that I complete similar accomplishments and service in my academic field. -Steve Parkin, science/engineering
ReplyDeletenice and beautiful blog
ReplyDeleteGood recommendation is typically bound to grow to get ignored,can see my blog tozca leather several a few other
ReplyDeletethen that is no motive to never provides it.