GERALD JENNINGS

1989 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME

Jerry began his career in swimming and diving at Cranston East High School.  As a junior he volunteered to fill a spot in the diving event for coach Ed Golden’s developing team.  In his senior year Jerry won the State Diving Championship, numerous AAU and YMCA championships, and was named to the All American Team in 1959.  That year Cranston East was undefeated and won its first New England title.

Jerry entered the University of Maryland and contributed significantly to the freshman team which had an undefeated season and won the U.N.C. Invitational, a freshman championship.  As an upperclassman Jerry and his teammate finished first and second in both diving events, as Maryland won the Atlantic Coast Conference all three years.

Following graduation, he served as Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach at Maryland and West Virginia State Universities.

In 1970 Jerry accepted the position of Head Coach of Swimming and Diving at Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania.  Once again, his competitive intensity brought results to the W & J program as they emerged as one of the stronger small college teams in the NCAA.  The men and women’s teams combined to produce 19 All-Americans.  Remarkably, nearly half of the team members had no competitive experience prior to college.

Jerry has served as meet director for the 1976 and 1980 NCAA Championships held at Washington and Jefferson, and he has officiated at these championships for 20 years.

Jerry has pursued other interests at this time, mainly in ocean sailing, but he still passes on his competitive experiences to college youngsters as the Diving Coach at Southeastern Massachusetts University.