Duane Whalen - Inducted 2021

Duane Whalen graduated from Rapid City High School in 1954.  From 1954 to 1958 he attended Black Hills State University.  In the fall of 1958, he began his 40-year teaching, coaching, and athletic administration career in Rapid City.

Whalen began his career in athletic/activities administration in 1977 when he was appointed Junior High Activities Director for the Rapid City Area Schools and in 1980, he was selected as the Assistant Principal in Charge of Activities/Athletics at Stevens High School.  During his tenure the Raiders won 49 state championships and were runners up 28 times.  He co-managed 47 SDHSAA state championship events.  He helped establish the Rushmore Bowl football games as a fund raiser for the two Rapid City Public High Schools.

During his time at Stevens, Whalen served on numerous professional committees and boards at the local, state, and national level.  He served as president of the SDIAAA, was a delegate to the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Delegate Assembly and served on the NIAAA Awards Committee.

Whalen was inducted into the Rapid City Sports Hall of Fame, was awarded the NIAAA State Award of Merit, and the Distinguish Service Award from the SDHSAA.  He was inducted into the SDIAAA Hall of Fame, received the South Dakota High School Coaches Association Distinguished Service Award, and was inducted into the Rapid City Stevens High School Sports Hall of Fame.

For the past 20 years Whalen has served as the chairman of the OFFICIALS a committee of Visit Rapid City whose mission is to support and promote sports in the Rapid City area and to recognize sporting achievements by local residents.  The OFFICIALS sponsor the Rapid City Sports Hall of Fame and the Rapid City Sports Hall of Fame Recognition Banquet.