A DISTINGUISHED MAN

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December 20, 2025

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Distinguished service, decades deep: Duane Holmes and a life at the heart of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame Prep's athletic assistant Duane Holmes was honored on Thursday, Dec. 18, by the Oakland County Athletic Directors Association (OCADA), receiving its Distinguished Service Award at the organization’s annual holiday luncheon.

The recognition celebrated not just a moment, but a lifetime: more than 50 years devoted to Catholic education and athletics, primarily at Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods and Notre Dame Prep in Pontiac. And for anyone who has ever walked into an athletic event on the Notre Dame Prep campus, the honor made perfect sense. Chances are, Duane Holmes was the first person they met.

Holmes’ career spans far more than athletic event management, though, encompassing classroom instruction, coaching and administration, all anchored by a consistent focus on students and the school’s Marist mission.

A career built on education, athletics — and people

A graduate of Owosso High School, Holmes excelled in football, basketball and baseball before attending Central Michigan University. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a major in business education and a minor in physical education.

He began his professional career at Anchor Bay schools, where he spent two years before moving to Detroit Austin for another two. At both schools, Holmes taught and coached basketball and baseball.

The majority of his career, however, took place at Notre Dame.

Holmes spent 28 years at Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods, where he taught accounting, economics, business law, business math and computers. In addition to teaching, he served as dean of students for 10 years and coached basketball and baseball.

Cindi Kelly, who worked with Holmes as his administrative assistant during his time as dean, recalled his approach to students.

“Above all else, he was a fair administrator. He was very even-handed when it came to discipline issues with students,” she said. “There also was an undercurrent of kindness that the kids related to — and loved him for it. His colleagues on staff also appreciated Duane for who he was and how he treated the students.”

Continuing the Notre Dame mission

When Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods closed in 2005, Holmes transitioned to Notre Dame Prep in Pontiac, where he has now spent the past 20 years. His move reflects the close alignment between the two schools, both sponsored by the Marist Fathers and Brothers (Society of Mary) and rooted in the same educational philosophy and mission.

Holmes addressed that transition in an earlier profile for Notre Dame Prep’s IRISH magazine.

“I love it! Absolutely love it! The transition between NDHS and NDP was seamless," he said. “A lot of the people who were at NDHS also moved to NDP, including Fr. Joe Hindelang, Fr. Leon and many others who also made the transition to Pontiac. And of course, the Marist connection made the move over here just plain common sense."

He noted how well he was and continues to be treated after the transition. “They treat me very well here. I owe a lot to Fr. Joe and Betty Wroubel who helped get me here. I was very close to retirement when NDHS closed and I didn’t really want to teach again, so this opportunity was perfect.”

It's worked out perfectly for Notre Dame Prep as well. "What a blessing he has been," said NDP athletic director Betty Wroubel. "Duane has been a tremendous asset to not only our athletic staff but to our entire community. He is a tireless worker who is always looking for a way to help out."

Ken Parent, a teacher and coach who worked with Holmes at both schools, said his commitment has been consistent regardless of role or location.

“I’ve known Duane for decades now — from typing and business teacher, to coach, to dean of students — he has done it all,” said Parent, who retired in 2008. “And what shines through is his love of Notre Dame, whether in Harper Woods or Pontiac.”

A key role in athletics at Notre Dame Prep

At Notre Dame Prep, Holmes serves as athletic assistant and game manager. His responsibilities include overseeing facility operations, coordinating game workers and concessions and managing various aspects of athletic events. He is often the first person to greet visiting teams, officials and spectators, providing assistance and hospitality throughout their visit.

Aaron Crouse, assistant athletic director at Notre Dame Prep, emphasized the importance of Holmes’ role.

“Duane represents everything that is right about school sports and I feel grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside him," said Crouse, who added that Holmes is "genuine, kind, hard-working and takes incredible pride" in everything he does at Notre Dame Prep.

“We often say that athletics serve as the ‘front porch’ of a school, representing the first thing that individuals see or experience when they come to campus," Crouse said. "There is no one that I would rather have making that initial impression of what the Notre Dame Prep and athletic department mission is than Duane.”

Tony Block, Notre Dame Prep’s chief financial officer, first encountered Holmes as a student and later worked with him at both Notre Dame High School and Notre Dame Prep.

“I first met Duane when he was a new teacher at Notre Dame High School, ironically as a student in his beginning accounting class. He had a great rapport with the students there, which stayed with him his entire career," said Block, who later managed the business office at NDHS. "I was happy to encounter him again as a colleague when I came to work at NDHS and later then at NDP. In his work currently in our athletic department, his love of the students and the mission of the school remains as strong as ever.”

Family and recognition

Outside of school, Holmes is the father of two daughters, Laurie and Lynn, and grandfather to five grandchildren — Amyah, Tristyn, Joslynn, Xander and Gregory. All five have participated in athletics and Holmes has valued the opportunity to watch each of them compete.

In 2025, Holmes was also honored by the Archdiocese of Detroit for his distinguished service to Catholic schools.

The OCADA Distinguished Service Award serves as another reminder of the continuity between Notre Dame High School and Notre Dame Prep and highlights the role of long-serving educators and staff in shaping school culture. Holmes’ work continues to support Notre Dame Prep’s mission and the students it serves.

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.