User:TonyTheTiger/Jerry Hardin

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Jerry A. Hardin is an American basketball coach, trainer, and analytics expert. He is currently the General Manager of Quest Multisport Chicago, a world renowned indoor sports training, practice, and rehabilitation facility located on Harrison Street, in Chicago, IL. Jerry is a regular invited guest of NBA teams and NBA Combine coaches to attend their meetings, practices, and film sessions. Jerry has been studying the game of basketball since he was 10 years old when he bought his first how to coach basketball book. Jerry played basketball in high school, college and for the United States Marines Corps. He has coached and lead men’s basketball programs for Division 1 UIC Flames, NAIA Cleveland Dykes, United States Marine Corps Headquarters Battalion Team at Henderson Hall Barracks in Washington, D.C., and was the head coach of the All-Marine Worldwide Team. He has traveled internationally to coach basketball in Bamako, Mali, West Africa, on behalf of the U.S. State Department. He co-founded Basketball Elite Skills Training (B.E.S.T. Basketball Chicago) to help influence the lives of boys and girls of all ages by using basketball as a vessel to teach character, teamwork, and life values.

Early life
Jerry A. Hardin was born on February 6th, 1960 in Chicago’s Westside Austin/West Garfield Park neighborhood and spent his youth in Proviso Township, first in Maywood and later in Forest Park. He attended St. Luke Catholic Grammar School in River Forest.

From September 1974 to May 1977, Hardin attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois where he played basketball alongside future professional and collegiate basketball players. In September 1977, Hardin moved to Asheville, NC to live with his grandparents. He graduated from A. C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. Receiving All-Western North Carolina State honors, he was selected to the Buncombe County Blue-White All-Star Game, but did not attract collegiate interest.

In September 1978, Hardin attended Triton College, River Grove, IL. In September 1979, Hardin transferred to the University of North Carolina - Asheville. Hardin was the only walk on player that made the UNC basketball team. He was a 1979–80 letterman for UNC Asheville Bulldogs men's basketball. In September 1981, Hardin transferred to Chicago State University before enlisting in the Marine Corps.

Military Service - Marine Corps
From 1982 to 1986, Hardin served in the U.S. Marine Corps. At Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA, Jerry graduated as the #1 Platoon Honorman, #1 Series Honorman, and #1 Company Honorman of over 500 Marines. He was selected for two officer programs, ECP and MECEP. Jerry earned promotions through the grade of sergeant, which is halfway up the enlisted rank structure, in exactly two years and one day. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal, a high precedence award authorized by the Secretary of the Navy, and the U.S. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

Coaching - Marine Corps
In January 1986, Hardin began his head coaching experience in the Marines, where he lead the Headquarters Battalion Team at Henderson Hall Barracks in Washington, D.C. There his team of senior Marines won the championship of the Military District of Washington, D.C., League and finished in an unprecedented third place in the Annual East Coast Marine Corps Tournament held at Camp Lejeune, NC. Then as the most junior enlisted Marine, Jerry became the Head Coach of the U.S. Marine Corps All-Marine Worldwide Team competing in the annual All-Armed Forces Tournament.

Assistant Coach University Illinois Chicago (UIC) Flames
In October 1986, Hardin was accepted as a volunteer assistant basketball coach by Coach Willie Little of the UIC Flames men's basketball program. He worked for one season under Coach Little before UIC hired new Head Coach Bob Hallberg. Coach Hallberg re-hired Hardin and UIC continued upgrading the program that beat numerous top ranked universities, including Michigan State and University of Illinois. While coaching at UIC, Hardin also continued pursuing his education. In May 1988, Hardin graduated from UIC with a Bachelor or Arts Degree in Economics. Hardin remained an assistant basketball coach at UIC until October 1990.

Head Coach Dyke College
In October 1990, Hardin accepted the head coaching position at NAIA District 22 Dyke College, now Meyers College in Cleveland, OH

TIME-OUT PHOTO

At Dyke College Coach Hardin inherited the “worst college basketball team in Ohio” –Cleveland Plain Dealer, 10/15/1990 and then led the team to become nationally ranked by the Associated Press in only his second season. Hardin actively recruited Curtis Carter who went on to play professional basketball and authored the 3 volume book series, The Road to the NBA: The Other Side, where he extensively references his and Hardin's player coach recruiting relationship. During the off-season in Cleveland, Hardin studied under legendary basketball royalty, Hall of Fame Coach John McLendon. Under Coach Mclendon’s leadership, Jerry was a periodic guest lecturer in Coach McLendon’s Theory of Basketball Graduate Class at Cleveland State University. In June 1992, after two successful seasons at Dyke College, budget cuts terminated the entire athletic department and the following year the college was sold.

International Coaching, Bamako, Mali, West Africa
In August 1989, Hardin conducted a three week-long coaches’ clinic in Bamako, Mali, West Africa, for the U.S. State Department. Hardin has been trained and certified as an American Sport Education Program coach and PCA (Positive Coaching Alliance) "Double Goal" coach, and was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Family man & Business leader
In May 1991, Hardin was married. He and his wife, Sui, have four children, and reside in Chicago, IL. While their Children were young, Hardin was the successful Owner and Chief Operating Officer of a Coldwell Banker residential and commercial real estate brokerage firm. During this time, Hardin worked as a coach and camp counselor throughout the United States in countless basketball clinics while continuing to scout and analyze the game.

Co-Founder of B.E.S.T. Basketball Chicago
In March 2012, Hardin co-founded Basketball Elite Skills Training (B.E.S.T. Basketball Chicago) with two friends, Alex Anaya and Matthew Shrake. BEST Basketball uses the framework of the game to help influence the lives of our youth by teaching character, teamwork, and family values that enhance the lives of others. BEST Basketball ensures learning at all age levels consistent with appropriate skill set progressions requiring proper mechanics and techniques necessary to expand players’ fundamental skills development. Coach Hardin takes special delight in teaching the game of basketball to young players of all ages.

General Manager, Quest Multisport Chicago
Hardin is currently the General Manager at Quest Multisport in Chicago, Illinois. In October 2012, he was hired as General Manager by Ringgold Capital and Guggenheim Partners, a global investment and advisory firm, who purchased the bankrupt facility at a blind auction. Since that time, Hardin has led Quest Multisport Chicago into an elite multisport event facility that hosts events such as the NBA Draft Combine and USA Basketball practices.