Quick to Comfort

Keith Duhon began work at Strake Jesuit in the fall semester of 1996. Back then, he worked part time through a contract with St. Joseph Hospital. Arriving each day at 1:30 p.m., he covered practices and games as an athletic trainer alongside a Strake Jesuit legend, Br. Casey Ferlita, S.J. “He and I worked together for 20 years,” Mr. Duhon told me. He continued, “I feel truly blessed for the time we worked together. Br. Casey had been at Jesuit since the early 1970s, and his wisdom impacted me in so many ways. Specifically, he inspired me through cura personalis, a basic tenet of Jesuit education and athletic training.”

That attentiveness to cura personalis paid off when finally, in 2001, Keith was hired as a full-time employee. When asked what some of the greatest joys of his career at SJ have been, Keith spoke fondly of seeing kids work back through an injury and return to play: “As an athletic trainer, you never want anyone to get hurt; however, when someone does get hurt, it gives you the opportunity to help another student-athlete return to their sport.” One student-athlete in particular came to mind: Steve Rowe ’98, a Jesuit alumnus and member of our Hall of Honor. “He was the starting quarterback during his senior year and, unfortunately, tore his ACL in one of the early games of the season. After having the ACL repaired, he and I worked daily, rehabbing his knee. His goal was to not only be ready for baseball season, but also to pitch in the first game of the season. His hard work and determination paid off, and he was cleared to play a few weeks before the first game versus St. Pius X. He started that game, and Jesuit won. It was a great start to a season that culminated with a TCIL State Championship.” Moments like these keep Keith coming back year after year. He’s not only an example of the strength of the athletic training program but also yet another example of an impactful member of the Strake Jesuit faculty and staff.