Norfolk Academy鈥檚 Neil Duffy highlighted in book about outstanding athletics leaders
NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Academy teacher-coach Neil Duffy is featured in a new book, 30 Days with America’s High School Coaches,聽which聽highlights a select group of coaches聽who have found success using imagination and a strong internal compass to shape student-athletes.
The book, written by Martin Davis, was released on January 25, 2022. It highlights聽30聽coaches, chosen from throughout聽the nation, describing how they聽build聽athletes鈥� hearts, minds and bodies to form successful teams, strong individuals and future leaders.
Duffy came to Academy in 1994.聽In addition to teaching upper school physics and advising the school’s聽Military Appreciation Club 鈥� he is a United States Naval Academy graduate and served as a naval officer for five years 鈥� he聽is head coach for the Bulldogs’聽varsity girls basketball team and an assistant varsity lacrosse coach.
In 2019, Duffy聽won the USA Lacrosse Gerald J. Carroll Exemplary Coaching Award which goes annually to only one coach in the entire nation.
Among the highlights of the girls basketball season is Someone Special Night, a tradition of honoring those who have positively influenced the student-athletes. The lacrosse program holds a similar event, Play To Honor. Both these events are referenced in the book.
As the author stated, Duffy 鈥渉as spent a lifetime thinking about and working to teach the simple act of gratitude.”
鈥淣ow, in a world obsessed with social media and self-promotion, Duffy is teaching others to take some time, and thank someone publicly for helping them on their journey toward success,” Davis wrote. 鈥淒uffy hopes that his students will take that lesson into the world with them and share it with others.”
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