(The Norwich High School Sports Hall of Fame is happy to announce its 2025 induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11, where the 13th Hall of Fame class will be honored. Those being inducted in the 2025 class include athletes Hannah Runyon, Kyle Edwards, Michael Sutton, contributor Jim Wysor and the 1965 track & field team. This year’s event will be held at the Canasawacta Country Club, where a buffet dinner will commence at 5:30 p.m., followed by the induction ceremonies at approximately 6:30 p.m. Tickets to attend are $35 and can be purchased at the front desk of the Norwich YMCA or the Norwich High School by phoning 607-334-1600, Ext 1439.)

Kyle Edwards, Class of 2013

By Rich Turnbull

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” - Jackie Robinson

Kyle Edwards exemplifies this ideal through the way he played, led, and gave back to those around him. His athletic success was matched only by his character, leadership, and the influence he had on his teammates, school, and community. Few athletes in Norwich High School history have dazzled fans and inspired teammates quite like him. With a unique blend of athleticism, humility, and drive, Edwards left an indelible mark on the Purple Tornado community, both on the athletic stage and beyond it. It is because of these qualities that he has been selected for induction into the 13th edition of the Norwich High School Sports Hall of Fame.

A two-sport standout, Kyle’s athletic resume is as impressive as it is extensive. Whether sprinting into the end zone on the football field or draining deep threes on the basketball court, he brought relentless energy and discipline to every performance.

As a two-way football starter for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Edwards lit up the field as a dynamic all-purpose weapon. As a junior, he rushed for 510 yards and six touchdowns, added two more receiving scores, and returned an interception for a touchdown, totaling 56 points to rank seventh in Chenango County. But numbers alone don’t tell the full story.

In a 2012 showdown with Oneonta, Edwards delivered one of the most complete performances in recent memory: 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns,100 receiving yards on five catches, and a 66-yard punt return for yet another score. The Evening Sun named him Athlete of the Week and declared it one of the best all-around performances by any county player that season.

As a senior captain, he added 543 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards to his tally, earning All-Region First Team and All-State Honorable Mention honors. He was named Offensive Player of the Section IV final playoff game and cemented his reputation as one of the premier all-around athletes in the section.

On the basketball court, Edwards was equally dominant. He scored 609 career points and knocked down 96 three-pointers, fifth all-time in Norwich history. During his junior year, he averaged 14.1 points per game and made 57 threes, seventh-most in a season.

Coach Tom Collier described Edwards as “mentally and physically tough, a lockdown defender, great at all facets of the game.” He added, “Kyle was an incredible shooter. During spans of his career, he’d be shooting well over 60% from the floor.” And when the stakes were highest? “Against big teams,” Collier said, “Kyle dominated.”

But it wasn’t just the stats. Kyle’s legacy was written in the biggest moments.

Edwards pointed to one game during the 2011-12 campaign: “Winning the Section IV basketball title against Chenango Valley my junior year. We were down 20 in the second half and came back to win. What made it special was the story surrounding it. We reserved a spot on our bench for Krissie Collier’s jersey. That second half felt like we had something bigger pushing us forward.” (Krissie was the daughter of Coach Tom Collier who had passed away unexpectedly the year before.) Edwards led all Tornado scorers in the matchup with the Warriors with 17 points, bringing home the championship.

He wasn’t done. A year later, Kyle started his senior campaign strong, averaging 13.7 ppg through the first seven games. However, injuries took over and he was sidelined halfway through the season, suffering from stress fractures in both knees. The consummate competitor Kyle tried to fight his way through, but the pain was just too much. Coach Collier shut him down during the holiday break hoping rest would be the perfect prescription. “Take the time to heal, you’ll hit the big shot in the sectional finals.” Coach Collier said. “And that’s exactly what he did,” noted Collier.

Kyle returned for one more final run that will go down in the lores of Norwich basketball history. Edwards was put on a minutes restriction but that didn’t stop him from putting up big games in his return. Against Susquehanna Valley, Kyle put on a memorable performance going for an efficient 4-for-6 with three 3-pointers and 15 points total, in only 16 minutes. Against Chenango Valley in the sectional semifinal, he dropped 16 points with three more 3-pointers. However, he saved the best for the one that mattered most.

In the 2013 Section IV Class B final, Edwards scored 23 points and led Norwich to a dominant 68-46 victory over Whitney Point. He drained clutch shots early and late, powering Norwich to a second straight sectional title.

“When I wasn’t able to play,” Edwards recalled, “my coaches and teammates kept me involved in game prep and practice. That meant a lot. It says a lot about the character of the coaches in Norwich athletics.”

Edwards finished his storied career on the hardwoods losing by one point to Section III perennial power Westhill in the New York State Regional final. Kyle finished with 13 points in that final and a team-leading 222 points for the season, despite missing four games due to injury. He was named to the NYS All-State Basketball Team in both 2012 and 2013 and selected as one of the BCANY Top 50 players in the state. Norwich went 49-15 during his career.

Despite all the accolades, Kyle says what he remembers most aren’t stats or titles, but the moments around the games:

“Garf’s Deli subs on bus rides. Locker room celebrations. Firetruck escorts down Route 12. Wearing football jerseys to school on Fridays. Pregame meals at the American Legion. Bonfires before the Oneonta games. Those are the memories that last for me.”

He continued, “In Norwich, it’s not just about your team, it’s about your town and community. That’s what makes it special.”

Off the field, Kyle was just as driven. With a 97.6 GPA, he was inducted into the National Honor Society and named to the High Honor Roll throughout high school. He served as Student Government President, NHS Peer Mediator, and Freshman Mentor, while also volunteering with youth sports, local festivals, and other various community events.

He credits his parents for helping him find that balance. “My mom helped my brothers and me build strong academic habits. My dad showed us what hard work looked like in sports, at work, and in the community. I just tried to follow their example.”

Edwards went on to a stellar four-year career at St. Lawrence University, where he became one of the top guards in the Liberty League and was a two-time team captain. He finished 11th on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,282 points and earned a litany of awards, including Liberty League Rookie of the Year (2013-14), Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Liberty League, NABC All-East First Team, D3hoops.com All-East Region Second Team, and CoSIDA Academic All-District during the 2016-2017 season.

Kyle’s impact at St. Lawrence was evident not just in the stat sheets, but in the way he led, prepared, and defended.

According to longtime Saints head coach Chris Downs, “I’ve coached in the Liberty League for almost 30 years, and Kyle is in the top three defensively of all the guys who’ve played in this league and the best defender we’ve ever had at St. Lawrence.”

Downs noted that even in a program known for defense, ranked No. 1 nationally in Division III during two recent seasons, Edwards still stood above the rest individually.

“Kyle used high IQ, toughness, great length, and intellect to frustrate opponents,” Downs said. “He watched an obscene amount of tape to prepare for the guys he was going to guard.”

What made him great, Downs emphasized, was more than talent, “He was one of only two players in my time at St. Lawrence to be named a captain as a junior. The respect his teammates had for him was obvious he knew when to console and when to challenge.”

For Norwich, Kyle Edwards was more than just a stat sheet, he was a quiet leader, a fierce competitor, and a role model. He inspired his teammates, gave back to his town, and left a legacy that continues to resonate with the athletes who follow in his footsteps.

His story didn’t end when the games did. After enduring multiple injuries throughout high school and college, Kyle found inspiration in those challenges and chose a path of healing. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Elon University and has shaped his career by helping others through adversity he faced himself as an athlete.

Today, he lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, Allie; daughter, Lennon; and son, Sullivan. Whether it’s in the clinic, on the sidelines, or at home, Kyle Edwards continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.

And now, with his induction into the Norwich High School Sports Hall of Fame, that legacy is officially and rightfully honored.