Loy Norrix Mourning Death of Longtime Coach, Teacher Duckett: 'He's All Knight'
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
January 19, 2026
KALAMAZOO — Theophlis Duckett, known to generations of students and alumni as the more familiar “Ted” Duckett, dedicated 57 years of his life as a teacher and coach at Loy Norrix High School.
After his unexpected death Jan. 8, people will have a chance to show their respect and share memories at a community celebration of life, Saturday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m.-noon (with doors opening at 10:30 a.m.) at the Loy Norrix auditorium.
At age 79, Duckett continued to teach three classes of physical education as well as coach the Knights girls and boys track & field teams.
“There aren’t many educators who have worked as long as he has, especially all those years in the same building,” said Andrew Laboe, Loy Norrix’s athletic director. "He connected with kids very well. He had a generational following: kids, parents, their grandparents, their great-grandparents.”
Some memories of Duckett bring a laugh from Laboe, who said he and Duckett had a running joke about his years as a Knight.
“I’m 55 years old and I told him I was negative-2 (years old) when he started working here,” Laboe laughed. “I believe he was a parapro or a locker room aide when he started here.
“In the teachers union seniority list, he is listed as 1969-70 for his first year teaching.”
Laboe said in losing Duckett, the school and community have lost a great resource for his knowledge of the history of the school and the people connected to it.
“He knows everybody,” Laboe said. “He was a consistent person in the lives of the kids he taught every day. Kalamazoo is not small like a lot of small towns around us, but it’s not very big, either.
"Ted knows everybody. You could get help from Ted on everything about children, who are they related to, who they are connected to, who can we contact to help them in any situation. That’s very helpful.”
During his tenure at Loy Norrix, Duckett coached football, basketball and track.
“He’s definitely a good sprinter coach for track,” Laboe said. “He was a fixture at Loy Norrix forever. He’s all Knight.”
Duckett’s coaching tenure included developing several all-state football players. Among those were sons Tico and Todd, who continued their football careers at Michigan State and then the NFL.
Tico Duckett played for Washington while Todd was a first-round selection by Atlanta in 2002, and he also played for Washington, Detroit and Seattle.
Laboe laughs when he looks back on his first meeting with the coach.
“My first year (at Loy Norrix) was 2004,” Laboe said. “Ted came into my office the first day. I said, ‘Hi Mr. Duckett, how are you? I’m Andrew Laboe.’”
He told Laboe he already knew.
“He said, ‘I just want you to know you have one year to get all the information out of this head that you need to run this athletic department because I’m retiring in one year.’”
No matter how much Laboe got out of Duckett’s head that first year, it didn’t matter.
“I’ve been here for 22 years and he was still here. It’s crazy,” Laboe recalled.
“He’s one of a kind. I don’t think it will ever be replicated in my career. There’s not people like that anymore that are that dedicated to one school like Ted Duckett was to Loy Norrix.”
(Photos courtesy of the Duckett family and Loy Norrix High School/Knight Life.)
Bark River-Harris Lands 3-Peat, Shamion Joins Elite 4-Event Winners Club
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2024
KINGSFORD — The Bark River-Harris girls completed their season-long mission here Saturday, earning their third straight Upper Peninsula Division 2 track & field championship with 127½ points.
West Iron County brought home the runner-up trophy with 82, and third-place Ishpeming had 71.
“The girls have been working hard for this,” BR-H coach Jason Lockwood said. “Three U.P. titles under their belt is incredible. Everybody contributed, which is instrumental in putting up that many points.”
BR-H senior and Bay College basketball recruit Lauren Zawada captured the 100-meter hurdles in 17.74 seconds and 300s (50.92) and helped the Broncos win the 1,600 relay at 4 minutes, 24.4 seconds.
“My starts are what helped me this time,” she said. “That was my first individual U.P. title, which gives me a pretty good feeling. I’m pretty excited.”
Fellow senior and Bay College basketball recruit Mckenzie Hoffmeyer won long jump at 16 feet, ½ inch, helped the Broncos win the 800 relay (1:49.92) and placed second in the 100 (13.03) and 200 in a personal-best 26.52.
“Even though I didn’t win the 100 or 200, I still got points for the team,” she said. “It feels pretty awesome for us to come together and win this three times in a row.”
Hoffmeyer was runner-up to West Iron County senior Danica Shamion, who took high jump with a record 5-1, the 100 at 12.65 and also set U.P. records in the 200 (26.17) and 400 (56.94). She’s one of just nine girls to win four individual events at a Track & Field Finals.
Shamion’s U.P. records took place four days after she set school records in the 200 (25.79) and 400 (56.74) and high jump (5-5) at Houghton.
“I went out with a bang, which is something I wanted to do as a freshman,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘Take it one step at a time.’ The high jump runway was a little slippery (during brief rainfall). It was hard to get your grip.”
BR-H junior Marissa Ives, also part of the 800 relay, took third in the 200 (27.42) and fourth in the 100 (13.5).
“I think we did pretty good for having a young team (in the 800 relay),” she said. “The rain felt good during the race. It makes it a little harder coming out of the blocks, but it cools you off.”
Senior Julia Olson, who helped the Broncos win the 1,600 relay, set school records while taking fourth in the 400 (1:00.54) and 800 (2:29.2).
“This is honestly rewarding,” Olson said. “Part of this is due to our training in the weight room during the offseason. It really paid off. It’s also good to know I had good competition on top of it.”
Pickford sophomore Talya Schreiber won the 1,600 (5:19.16) and 3,200 (11:49.86) and was runner-up in the 800 (2:27.88).
“Lola (Korpi) is a great runner,” she said. “It definitely helps to have her here to push me. This feels really good. I’m happy to be here for our team. The atmosphere is awesome. Everyone is so nice.”
Ishpeming senior and Northern Michigan University recruit Korpi won the 800 (2:26.36) and placed second in the 1,600 (in a school-record 5:20.19) and 3,200 (12:12.63).
“I let her creep away from me a little too much and I couldn’t quite catch her in the 1,600,” said Korpi, who capped her career with 10 individual Track Finals titles. “She started her kick, too.
“I’m obviously happy with another school record. I feel I left my mark. I’m also happy for Talya. She worked so hard and helped me get my PR. Second place isn’t bad. I’m happy where I am.”
Sophomore Mya Hemmer added a first for Ishpeming in discus (114-6) and second in shot put (33-5¼), and Ironwood sophomore Emma Wardon took first in shot (34-5).
PHOTOS (Top) Bark River-Harris's Carli Erickson crosses the finish line far ahead of her competition in the 800 Relay. Other members of the winning team were Mckenzie Hoffmeyer, Julia Nault, and Marissa Ives. (Middle) West Iron County's Danica Shamion starts the 400, which she eventually wins. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)