Brick by brick, district-based athletics are continuing to grow at Duquesne.  

“I feel like it was a successful season all around,” said Duquesne City School District athletic director, DiAngelo Mitchell. “I feel like we’re taking each year step by step and adding more things to build upon the tradition we already started. The kids are really bought in.”    

After a ten-year hiatus, school-sponsored sports teams returned to the Duquesne City School District in 2022. The district offered football, girls and boys basketball, and cheerleading in the 2024-2025 school year.  

Each year, more students are eager to stamp their name in the storied history of Duke athletics.  

“There’s growing interest, definitely,” Mitchell said. “When the younger kids see the older kids on gameday with their jerseys on, that recognition alone gets the kids interested.”   

“A lot of our coaches are engaged with the younger kids, too. They have conversations about expectations and what to expect when they get the opportunity to participate in middle school athletics.”  

As the student population continues to evolve, Mitchell is doing his best to meet their needs. He noted that more and more students are interested in soccer. As such, the district is looking into the possibility of fielding soccer teams next year.  

A former athlete himself, Mitchell sees the value in athletics — not just as a physical outlet, but as a vehicle for life lessons and important skills.    

“I think it helps with discipline and teamwork outside of sports,” said Mitchell. “You learn different life skills that I think our kids benefit from.”    

Thus far, football has been the district’s landmark sports team, compiling an impressive 17-2-2 record over the past three years. For Mitchell, it’s been an honor to help restore the proud tradition of Duquesne City School District football.  

“It’s really been surreal. Being how tight-knit our community is, even though it’s not high school football, just having that pride of school-based football again feels good,” said Mitchell, who’s also an assistant football coach for the district.  “It’s just a great feeling, just seeing the kids and watching them grow up to become great athletes. It’s a great thing to see.”