Jul 31, 2023 7 min read

About a decade ago, a member of the news media sat in the pressbox at Washington & Jefferson’s Cameron Stadium watching a high school playoff game. When asked how many times he would hand the football to a particularly special running back playing in the game, Bill Dukett answered quickly and succinctly: “Every.”

That quick response came from a planned strategy that served Dukett well in a successful and long career as a high school coach and as the associate head coach and offensive strategist in one of the golden ages of Washington & Jefferson football.

“Coach Dukett had a unique ability to get the ball in the hands of the players who could deliver big, significant plays in all moments of the game, but especially in the biggest moments of games and seasons,” said Pat Aigner, who was the Presidents’ starting quarterback in 1987 and 1988.

“He did that through detailed game planning, getting to know and understand his players and him believing in them and having them believe in him. He was great at getting to know his players, not just on the field but as young men.”

Dukett was a member of the W&J football coaching staff from 1982 to 1998 and helped guide the Presidents to national prominence, including two trips to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. He also spent 10 years as the head track and field coach and nine seasons as the head men’s and women’s golf coach.

After spending eight years in development, Dukett worked his final seven years before retirement as W&J’s athletic director. In football, W&J won 137 games with Dukett as assistant coach. He led six golf teams to PAC championships and was named PAC Golf Coach of the Year six times.

Dukett was a standout quarterback at East Stroudsburg University, where he was inducted in the Hall of Fame (1985). He was a multi-sport athlete at Phillipsburg High School in New Jersey. He was the head football coach at Parkland High School (1978-82) in Allentown and Palmerton High School (1975-78) in Carbon County.

He helped Hall of Fame coach John Luckhardt raise the W&J football program up from the bottom of Division III to national prominence.

“I was looking for someone to lead our offense,” Luckhardt said. “I recruited (when Luckhardt was an assistant coach at Lehigh) the high school where Bill was coaching. He impressed me and I felt he was the guy to build our offense to be more competitive and eventually be among the best.

“Bill always worked hard and was great at putting the game plan together. But his ability to know the players and have a great understanding of how and when to get them the ball was a great strength. He was creative and gave us advantages.”

Dukett fell in love with W&J on his visit when he interviewed with Luckhardt.

“I really enjoyed the players and we had a great coaching staff,” he said. “My family got close with some of those coaches and remain good friends to this day. B.J, was part of all of it and each season he had about 100 brothers.”

“We had success on and off the field. Sure, some of those losses hurt. But you keep moving forward.”

Dukett added he’s proud of what he and the athletic department achieved in his tenure as AD. He attributed the success to the multiple years he spent in alumni development after leaving coaching.

“I had great years as athletic director,” he said. “I was able to work with really good coaches. It was great to be back in athletics. We raised some money to upgrade facilities. It was fun.”

Dukett’s players and peers revere him for his consistency, caring, understanding and will to succeed and win. What they admire most, however, is his family-first philosophy and his total devotion to his wife, Shirley, and their daughter, Stacy Hawkins, son, B.J, and the couple’s four grandchildren.

B.J. is a longtime Special Olympics athlete and Dukett is a Special Olympics coach, advocate and volunteer. He’s made an even greater impact with the organization.

“We were together a lot,” said Mike Conway, former W&J defensive coordinator. “He was a mentor to me, not just in coaching but the way he handles himself and gives of himself.

“Coordinators spend a lot of time together. I grew so much being part of the staff and being so close to Bill. He gave us a model how to interact with kids and certainly one in how to care for your family.”

Family guy

Dukett continues his work with Special Olympics today. He serves as its golf coach.

He is much more than that.

“Bill is and has been integral to the organization,” said former Special Olympics manager Cherie Mazutis. “Yes, in part because of B.J. and his longtime involvement and association. But everyone reaped the benefits of Bill’s knowledge and makeup. For anyone who knows Bill or is just in his presence, family is always first.

“Bill has spent his life coaching and giving. He has such high standards for his players, athletes, coaches and all other fellows. These standards were handed down to all our Special Olympics coaches and volunteers, which was an invaluable tool. We all soaked his knowledge like a sponge.”

Tom Durbin, who worked under Dukett as offensive line coach at W&J, thinks as good of a coach Dukett is, his being a leader, dad, husband and friend is more impressive.

“He put together detailed practice plans and game plans and he taught our offense and our staff the importance of everyone contributing and playing a part,” Durbin said. “He built a trust in all of us and he was a great recruiter, a few minutes with him and you feel you have a friendship with him.

“What he really excels at is taking care of his family and giving them a great quality of life. He did that for all of us. Bill’s just a great guy and friend.”

Mazutis added that it wasn’t just Dukett’s knowledge, kindness and time that made a difference.

“Bill’s connections with W&J were so very important to our program,” she added. “We used the college for sectionals, competition, swimming and basketball. If we needed space, Bill was always there for us.”

The W&J connection remains even in Dukett’s retirement.

“It’s important the connection Bill put in place at W&J continues,” said Scott McGuinness, who succeeded Dukett as athletic director. “He accomplished a lot. He gave of himself to others. He has done a lot for W&J and Special Olympics.”

Aigner and Dukett teamed up for a lot of on-field magic in 1987, when the Presidents came back numerous times to take an undefeated record into the NCAA Southern Region championship game.

The Presidents lost the game to Emory & Henry.

Aigner was heartbroken. An amazing season ended.

He said that pain could never erase what he had learned from Dukett.

“Besides my father, who was my hero, Coach Dukett is the second-best man I know,” Aigner said. “He’s the complete package. Some guys are good on the field and not so much off it. Others are opposite. Coach Dukett is the rare man who excels both places.

“He worked so hard to make 18-, 19-, 20-year-old college kids better players and better men. I always admired that. It made me want to be like that. … He made my experience at W&J a great one. It makes me happy our friendship has extended well beyond that. He’s family.”