Former CSU basketball coach enjoying role as principal at Wynnbrook Christian School

Jonathan Norton was having lunch with his pastor Craig Bowers when the subject of hiring a principal for Wynnbrook Christian School entered the conversation.

Bowers believed the person hired could fill the dual role of school principal and administrator for Wynnbrook Baptist Church.

Norton agreed.

Bowers then told Norton, “I think that person could be you.”

Recalling the talk, Norton remarked, “I was floored.”

In April, Norton resigned as coach of the women’s basketball team at Columbus State University and began his new career in May.

“It is going great,” he said earlier this week.

Norton was a college basketball coach for 21 years, the last seven as head coach at CSU, a place he had worked previously as an assistant before leading programs at Lander University and Berry College.

He had a 141-61 career coaching record at CSU, winning two regular season Peach Belt Conference championships and twice winning its tournament. His best record was 31-2 in the 2014-15 season. He has an overall coaching record of 271-146.

Norton collapsed during a game his final season and had to be taken to a hospital. It was not a heart attack, as some thought, but a hypertension problem.

But that is not the reason he decided to make a career change.

“That was just God telling me I needed to take better care of myself,” Norton said.

Though the scare was a nudge down the road he decided to travel, he had already felt a calling to do something different, likely in administration.

The 43-year-old Norton has a wife, Michelle, and two daughters, Anna and Emma. They prayed about making the move as they wondered if this was God’s will for the family.

“I have long had a heart for the church and have been active in several lay leadership roles. I do feel called by God to be in this position,” said the native of Lilburn, Ga.

He considers his position a ministry. He believes his previous one was, too.

But instead of working with 12-15 young women on a daily basis, his influence is now over 91 students at Wynnbrook, all of whom he knows by name.

“I talk to them every day,” he said. “I challenge them.”

He smiled and mentioned he also has to discipline a few.

Norton’s goal is to provide a better education in a Christian learning environment.

He is making changes at the school, which is seeing its enrollment grow. There is a lot of scripture on the walls and student art lines the halls.

“I want a family atmosphere. I want the school to be warm and inviting,” he said.

Security has been upgraded with more surveillance cameras.

A brass band program has been added and soccer teams for boys and girls are coming soon.

The school has classes for students in grades K-8. A high school is still a possibility in the future.

“We do have the facility,” Norton said.

The principal said the school has wide appeal.

Of the students at Wynnbrook Christian, only about 25 percent of the them have families attending Wynnbrook Baptist, a church of approximately 670 congregants.

“God called me and my family into a different season in our life,” he said. “This is an opportunity to put my faith into action by serving God and my family in a much greater capacity than I have able to the last 21 years.”

And he still does some coaching, as does his wife, with the school’s basketball and cross country teams.

The difference is he is home every night and on weekends instead of taking road trips and spending many hours viewing game film. He misses the interaction with the CSU students but has many more to relate to now.

His children ride to school with him every day and he eats lunch with them. He is excited to get to work.

That does not mean he has given up on CSU from which he has two degrees on the women’s basketball team.

He still goes to watch the team, which is now coached by Anita Howard and has a 22-1 record. Occasionally, he stops by a practice. Most of the girls on the team were recruited by Norton.

“I wanted to leave the program in good shape,” he said. “Coach Howard is taking it to a higher level. She is the perfect fit for CSU.”

And he said it’s fun to sit in the stands and view games without any stress.

“God provided for me and CSU. It is a win-win situation,” he said. “ I am doing something I love. I am right where I need to be.”

This story was originally published February 18, 2017 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Former CSU basketball coach enjoying role as principal at Wynnbrook Christian School."