Jerry Chase-2017

Cleveland Central Catholic and Chanel High Schools

2017 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

Jerry Chase – Cleveland Central Catholic and Chanel High Schools

Coach Jerry Chase graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1968.  He took a job in Berryville, Virginia at Clarke County High School where he was also the golf coach and assisted in basketball.  He moved back to the Greater Cleveland area and taught at Cleveland Central Catholic where he also coached freshman basketball and freshman and JV baseball.  In 1974 Coach Chase was named the Head Baseball Coach at Central Catholic, a position he would hold for the next 13 years.  His teams won several North Central Conference titles and he was named NCC Coach of the year several times as well.  At Central Catholic Chase coached JV basketball beginning in 1974 and his teams won 212 games at the JV level from '74-'87. He also received his Masters Degree from Ashland University in 1981. Coach Chase returned to his Alma Mater, Chanel, in 1987 to become the Director of Athletics and Head Baseball Coach.

In his first year at Chanel, despite being 6-11 at the tournament's start, his team would lose only once more before earning its way to the State Final Four.  There they lost to a good Cincinnati McNicholas team.  His teams reached the Regional Tournament several more times but were unable to again reach that Final Four level.  Coach Chase resigned his positions of Head Baseball Coach and Director of Athletics in 2003 with the intent of watching his son play college baseball.

During his tenure as Head Baseball coach, Chase had several of his players go on to play college baseball as well as have several drafted into professional baseball.  One player, Billy Wertz made it to the big leagues as a relief pitcher for Cleveland.  Coach Chase was also very active in the Greater Cleveland Baseball Coaches Association serving 2 terms as that groups President.  During his presidency the association took over the local clinic from CSU, the All-Star game was played in Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Also during his coaching career, Chase was named that group's Man of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Coach Chase served as the Head Baseball Coach at Cuyahoga Community College for 3 years from 2005 to 2008.  In his three years there his teams won over 100 games.  In his high school career as head coach, Chase's teams won 446 games.  He was inducted into the Chanel High School Hall of fame, the Cleveland Central Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Northeast Ohio Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.  He returned as an assistant coach at both St. Vincent-St. Mary and at Benedictine High Schools after his stint at Cuyahoga Community College. Coach Chase continues to coach at summer baseball camps and in summer travel leagues in Northeast Ohio.

Chase and his wife of 49 years (50 in June), Barbara, live in Parma Heights where they raised their 5 children. Their daughter Jennifer works for ATT and lives in Columbus; daughter Becky lives in Garretsville and spent 8 years in the US Navy; daughter Kerri is a Special Education teacher in Alma, Michigan; son Dan is a mechanical engineer residing in Wasdsworth, and daughter Kristin lives in Parma and works in the retail food industry.  Coach Chase has been blessed with 14 grandchildren.