Paquin to receive Mazzie Award

During his younger years on Cherry Hill, Normand Paquin was a second team selection in football and basketball in the 1995 and ’96 seasons but he was a first-teamer in outdoor track back in ’96.

But when it came to fighting to maintain the freedom of his country, he was - to steal a phrase from the late Howard Cosell’s sportscaster vocabulary - “All World.”

Sunday, Paquin – who was deployed on five occasions to fight the War on Terror – is coming home to accept the prestigious Gary V. Mazzie Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award during the 9th Annual Johnston High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dinner.

“Gary will be looking down upon the entire program,” James Hopkins, the HOF chairman said of his longtime late friend who founded the now mega-member club. “We are all proud of what Normand has achieved during his long-time and extraordinary military career.”

Paquin, as people like HOF committee members Allan McGillivray and Dick Hagopian who were part of the JHS family for many, many years will tell you, “epitomized a true student-athlete who after graduating in 1997 went on to a long and distinguished career serving our country.”

“During his time at JHS Normand was an outstaying athlete and was destined to be a leader in life,” Hopkins explained while talking about the HOF-electee. “He overcame childhood obstacles, was a leader in the mentoring program and a true role model for all his classmates.”

Shortly after his graduation in ’97, Paquin enlisted in the United States Army and has served a tour at the U.S. Military Academy in West Pont as a tactical noncommissioned officer.

More impressive, perhaps, is the fact that Normand Joseph Paquin has earned the highest non-commissioned rank of Command Sergeant and has been numerous commendations including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Ever since he enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 13, 1998 and completed his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. where he became an 11b Infantryman, the former Panther has – as noted – been deployed five times in support of the Global War on Terror.

Those deployments include one to Kosovo in support of KFOR-A (2001), two in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2004-2005), (2012-2013) and two to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2006-2007 and 2008-2009).

As Hopkins was saying the other day, “Command Sergeant Major Normand Joseph Paquin has as achieved countless distinguished honors and awards while also recording many major accomplishments at a number of military related schools during his unique and amazing career.”

So, for the honor, glory and fame CSM Normand Joseph Paquin – who has two children, Mya (11) and Leah (9) that reside in San Antonio, Texas – has brought to his alma mater, hometown, state and nation, he will be inducted into the Johnston High School Athletic Hall of Fame under the category of the Gary V. Mazzie Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award.

An award named for a man that Sunday will go to a mighty man who has made his mark with the military just like Gary Victor Mazzie did in founding the prestigious Johnston High School Athletic Hall of Fame back in 2011.

Sunday, a total of 12 one-time Panther greats – four women and eight men – along with JHS’ 1995 Class B State Baseball Champions and Dave Taraborelli who’ll received the Contributor Award – will also be inducted into the HOF during the 2 o’clock induction ceremony inside the Edward L. DiSimone Gymnasium with the annual dinner set for 4 o’clock at Cranston Country Club.