Potter was a three-year member of the football team, helping lead Norwich to a 6-2 record as a junior in 1966. As a senior, he had his finest season in a Cadet uniform, ranking third among all quarterbacks in New England in passing yards.
Norwich went 4-4 that season, including an infamous loss to UVM that took points away after an incredible feat by Potter seemingly won Norwich the game, but instead resulted in a 20-19 loss.
“I’m accepting this honor on behalf of our offensive line and the backfield I was a part of because I wouldn’t be here without their contributions,” Potter said. “I probably wouldn’t have even ended at Norwich if not for one of my teammates Al Willey, who was my roommate at Bridgeton Academy. The special thing about Norwich is once you get through rook training, you have a unique bond with everyone that is just incredible.”
Potter recalled the infamous UVM game vividly in his mind as a sore spot still today.
“I rolled out to throw, but I couldn’t get the ball to the receiver, so rolled back to the other side and dove into the end zone,” Pottter said. “We thought we had just beat UVM, but I looked over and saw Coach Sabol put his hands over his head and then I saw the penalty flag on the ground, erasing the successful two-point conversion. Willey got called for a clip away from the play.”
Although the UVM loss sticks out, Norwich was still able to beat Coast Guard (16-10) and Middlebury (40-38) that season in two memorable wins.
“We were losing to Coast Guard who had not won in a number of games straight,” Potter said. “With a less than a minute to go, our nose guard Terry Stecker blocked a punt that gave us the ball at midfield. I stepped back in pocket to throw a pass and got crushed but I hit Paul Phaneuf streaking up the field and he took it in for the touchdown to win the game.”
After graduating from Norwich, Potter married his wife Beth just six days later in 1968. They were married for 43 years and had two sons and two grandchildren before Beth passed away with lung cancer.
Potter and Beth had two sons, Steven and Andy, as well as two grandchildren; Ben and Joey. Potter has now been with his partner Sue for the last six years and they live together in Wilder, Vt.
Potter went onto a 41-year teaching career at Hartford High School, where he also coached football and baseball. He and former NU assistant football coach Mike Stone helped build Hartford High School into one of Vermont High School football’s biggest powerhouses, winning 11 state championships. Potter retired from coaching football in 2005 and then retired from teaching in 2009.
