Gerry Duffy - オンライン･メモリアル･ウェブサイト

Definitley a Maine coaching icon.....I'll always remember him on the sidelines in the Bangor Auditorium in the 1980s.

RIP

Gerry Duffy was, without question, one of the top coaches in Maine history. He was an icon at Caribou, and I am very sad to hear of his passing. My condolences go out to his family and the entire Caribou community.

I never stepped on the floor thinking that our opponents may be better prepared or conditioned than we were. I always felt he gave us a great chance to win with his accurate assessments of each teams strengths and weaknessess, and how we could best take advantage of those factors. One memory that stands out to me is the night he stood in our locker room and singled me out as the player our opponent would have difficulty defending. My role was defense and rebounding, but he really felt that on that night, I was to be first and foremost, a scorer. That night we upset a much higher ranked team, and for the 1st time in my life at any level of play, I was the game high scorer.

Monday I will drive from southern Maine to Caribou in order to pay respects to one of the most influential men in my life and to pay my condolences to his very special wife Jean, his sons Jamie and Mike, and his daughters Lorrie and Cathy. I will never forget Coach Duffy. I expect Mockler's Funeral Home in Caribou will be filled with old ballplayers who remember this man much as I do.

Thanks for letting me be a Viking, Coach. It is indeed my honor to have called you "Coach"

Old # 42

I am proud to say that I had the priviledge to play for Coach Duffy at Caribou High School. I can't imagine a better coach for whom to have played. He was tough, and a well disciplined team was a given. Along with the toughness, he was very fair. There was one set of rules which were clearly defined on Day One. If you chose not to abide by the rules, you were not on the team very long. It didn't matter if you were a star or a benchwarmer, the expectations and consequences were the same.

..I think I remember Duffy at courtside in a maroon blazer...but history and memories and dreams all blur together for me now in a warm kaleidscopic glow of Maine basketball...like the once and Future King Arthur Pendragon and Merlyn ...it all blends hazily in the mists of Avalon...conscious and subconscious are all part of the glow...dream and reality...and I remember all that maroon and Duffy...that Maroon filled the other side...and you couldn't help respect it...

Coach Duffy was old school....worked his team hard and disciplined those who didn't conform. His 2-2-1 press was so tough when his Vikings were so strong in the 80s. It would have been interesting to see him coaching in this day and age....AB's Charmin group would not have gone over well with Coach Duffy.

He'll be missed.

Gerry Duffy, his Vikings gave me many a thrill battling Greg Cooper and Cony in mid 80s...Caribou was always better than its size...always extended its glory beyond what one would expect...I can remember a sea of maroon...such great support and bands and Duffy...real Maine stuff here...a distilled essence of what is good and right and comfortable and decent about Maine HS basketball at its best...Duffy was a Kin O Katahdin...not from Maine but of it....

Speaking of schools and what they mean to us, our old high school coach from Caribou passed away this week: Gerry Duffy.  Now that man was a teacher and mentor for millions of us!  He was the best of the best and will be sadly missed.   He was so much more than just Coach to those of us who had the pleasure to learn from him.

 

  Funny how you always think the teachers live at the school after you’ve left and it gives you comfort, thinking you can go back at any time and visit.

Gerry Duffy also taught Phys. Ed. and Health at Caribou High School. I was in the same class with Mike Thurston and share the fond memories of that tournament game, as I was in the CHS band/loud cheering section, but Coach Duffy wasn't just our sports coach. He was a life coach. I especially remember the Red Cross first aid classes and NRA rifle safety trainings he did. He wanted us to know everything, have every advantage, and to be prepared for life. Gerry Duffy was an inspiring teacher who knew how to keep students interested and respectful. I am so saddened over this loss. He is definitely gone too soon.