A Yadkin County native, Herman Norman joined the first Forbush High School wrestling team during his junior year of high school. Graduating from Forbush in 1969, Norman attended Appalachian State University earning degrees in Health and Physical Education (1973) and School Administration (1975). Norman began teaching in 1976 at Brogden Middle School in Wayne County where he was the head football, basketball and track coach. Norman became a wrestling coach after returning to Yadkin County at Starmount High School in 1980. Under his leadership, Starmount grew into a wrestling power, compiling an 84-19 record over six seasons. Taking a position as the Student Activities Coordinator at Wilkes Community College in 1986, Norman started a wrestling team that would become, without any scholarships, one of the top junior college programs in the country. Norman's Wilkes' teams went 66-9-3 in five seasons, finishing 4th at the 1992 national tournament. Norman was named NC USA Wrestling's Coach-of-the-Year in 1989 and Person-of-the-Year in 1990. He was named National Junior College Athletic Association Regional Coach-of-the-Year in 1991 and 1992, and the NJCAA National Coach-of-the Year in 1992. While at Wilkes, Norman coached 27 Academic All-Americans, seven All-Americans, and one national champion. In 1992, Norman moved into school administration, a role he would serve in for the next 23 years at schools in Guilford, Yadkin, and Wake Counties in addition to Horry County South Carolina. He was named named Principal-of-the-Year in 1997 and 1998 and Region XII Principal-of-the-Year in 1998. In each of his stops as an assistant principal, principal, and district athletic director, Norman continued to promote and support wrestling by hiring coaches and recruiting clinicians such as Tom and Terry Brands, Joe Williams, and Lincoln McIlravy to his schools. East Wake High School hosted the Super 32 while he was principal, and Norman also interviewed both John Smith and Dan Gable for his PhD dissertation in 2000. Steel and Chance, Norman's sons, were both wrestling state qualifiers in high school.