Former SWHS lacrosse coach, Ed Duclos will be inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame on January 24th at the Vazzano’s Four Seasons in Stratford, CT.
Duclos was originally a football coach at SWHS, falling in line with his football background, where he played at SWHS in 1976. He coached football for 13 years before establishing the SWHS Girls’ Lacrosse program in 1990, which he has coached 32 out of the 35 years of its existence.
Duclos’ involvement in lacrosse started when he volunteered as an assistant for the boys’ lacrosse program, which he found that he really enjoyed. The board announced in 1990 that there would be a girls’ lacrosse program, so Duclos applied for the job and got it.
“I created it, but there were so many other people that contributed along the way,” Duclos said. “It was the intrigue of starting something from square one, but then I fell in love with it.”
Duclos mentioned that he enjoyed coaching girls sports as there were “ misconceptions that they weren’t athletes” and that “the boy’s lacrosse is really where the athletes were.” Duclos, however found that to be completely false, saying that in his experience coaching girls’ teams, “they tend to be student athletes, strong students, strong athletes; they are the whole package.”
One of his major accomplishments, which he credits as “one of the major reasons that I ended up being inducted,” is helping put together a tournament for girls lacrosse. There wasn’t a state-wide tournament when the program was first started, so Duclos reached out to other coaches throughout the state and they went to the coaches association to form a tournament.
Duclos retired from coaching two years ago, but continues to teach yearbook and works with other coaches and the youth program.
Before retiring, one of Duclos’ most important memories was the birth of his daughter.
Senior and Varsity Lacrosse player Hailey Deptula has worked with coach Duclos for many years. She recently committed to play lacrosse at Siena College – a Division 1 school.
“Coach Duke is the most deserving person I know to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Deptula said. “…he is very patient, honest, humble and embodies all the amazing traits a great coach should have,” Deptula said.
Duclos looks forwards to being inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame, saying that he feels honored to be a part of it.
“I don’t coach anymore but being inducted into the Hall is amazing, but it’s like it’s the end for me, I’m into different things,” Duclos said. “I work a little bit with the youth program, and I work with coaching, so I think that’ll be it. But the Hall of Fame is just a nice accomplishment, it’s a nice honor.”
