Brent E. Deckert, 54
Brent E. Deckert, 54, Brandon, passed away Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at the Sanford USD Medical Center, 11 days after he officially retired from teaching. If we have to say he lost his battle with cancer after almost four years, then we must say it was a triple overtime game with bench-clearing brawls and several technical fouls. He fought until his very last breath, or until the final horn sounded. We are forever inspired by his resilience, his tenacity, and his refusal to give up. We have witnessed first-hand how The Game Honors Toughness.
Our hearts are broken, but we know his spirit and his legacy will live on.
Visitation for Brent will be 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Heartland Funeral Home. Funeral Services will begin at 2pm, Sunday, March 17, 2024, at the Brandon Valley High School Gym, with viewing beginning at 1 p.m. A private burial is planned for a later date
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to donate to the Brent Deckert Memorial. The donations will be used to fund the Brent Deckert Scholarship for basketball players. A go-fund-me https://gofundme/d4783f61 has also been established for the convenience of the Brent Deckert Scholarship for basketball players.
Brent Deckert was born March 2, 1969 in Wadena, Minn. He grew up in Henning, Minn. with his sister Stacy and his brother Brian. His parents, Herman and Arlene Deckert, owned a grocery store for 36 years. As a way to avoid working in the store, Brent would sneak off to the gym to shoot hoops with his buddies. He always knew he wanted to be a basketball coach when he grew up. He went on to graduate from Henning High School in 1987 and then Moorhead State University in 1992 with a degree in education along with a coaching minor.
Brent began teaching in Sioux Falls in 1993 and his first stints as a coach were at Sioux Falls Washington and then Augustana College before ending up at Brandon Valley in 2000. His love for coaching the Lynx was evident to anyone who chatted with him. His passion for the game was year-round, there was never an off-season, and the gym was always open. Springs and summers included camps, workouts, tournaments, team trips, and piles and piles of Lynx t-shirts. It was rare to see Brent wearing something that didn’t say Lynx Basketball.
Brent and Jill met at a summer basketball camp in Yankton, S.D., where they coached opposing high school teams. It was competition at first sight. They were married in 1996 and they had three children: Caden, Jaksen, and Kennedi. Countless hours were spent in the gym as the kids grew up and they all shared his love of basketball. It was very special for him to coach Caden and Jaksen through their varsity careers and he did his very best to ‘sideline’ coach Kennedi through her final season. Without a doubt, it could be argued the highlight of his coaching career was winning the state championship in 2019. But Brent always said the best part for him as a coach was the time he spent with the kids. He loved the practices, film sessions, and giving away Subway cards for half-court makes. Sure, winning was important (family game night never ended well at the Deckert house) but he was less concerned about the wins and losses and always more focused on the relationships he had with his players. Brent coached the Lynx for 21 years before retiring in 2021, one year after his cancer diagnosis.
Brent spent countless hours watching game films and discussing basketball with his in-laws, Ron and Gloria Riherd. In many ways, they became parents to him and we are eternally grateful for their love and support. Brent also shared his life with his sister-in-law, Jody Riherd, and her husband, Dennis Corcoran, along with their children, Elliott and Reece, of La Crosse, Wis.
He is preceded in death by his mother Arlene Deckert. Much of his family lives in Fargo, N.D., including his dad, Herman; and his sister, Stacy, along with her husband, Mat; and their children, Taylor, Jonas, and Kasen. His brother Brian, also lives in Fargo with his children Derek, Davina, Jess, Blaise, and Kurt.
TGHT
