Bio

Jerry Rashid is preparing for his fifth season as head coach of the Eureka College baseball team in 2021-22. An icon throughout the central Illinois baseball community, Rashid won more than 800 games in 39 seasons at the high school level and is a member of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

In his first year at EC, Rashid led the Red Devils to their first 14-win season since 2010 and tallied eight St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference wins for the first time since 2012. EC scored its first win over a ranked opponent in program history with a 2-1 victory over No. 25 Webster on April 8, 2018, which started a season-high six-game winning streak that lasted until April 18. The Red Devils also completed its first three-game sweep over a SLIAC opponent on April 23 with a 14-5 win at Iowa Wesleyan.

In 2019, Rashid’s Red Devils went 16-20, marking the first time the program reached 16 wins since 2010 and only the second time since 2000. On April 1, EC completed a three-game sweep over Iowa Wesleyan with a 25-7 victory, which gave the Red Devils 49 runs in the series – the most runs Eureka scored in a three-game SLIAC series since 2007.

EC won seven of its last nine games. On the last day of the season, Sean Green surpassed Dan Askew for most stolen bases in a single season (29) in a single season by Red Devil in the modern era. Green, a SLIAC Third Team All-SLIAC honoree in 2018, became the EC player under Rashid to receive First Team All-SLIAC honors and All-Region honors in 2019.

Following the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Eureka completed the 2021 season with six wins and a mountain of learning experiences. Facing an unprecedented string of circumstances that stubbornly conspired to keep the Red Devils from having their full squad on the field at the same time, the team consistently showed resilience and potential for a stable future. Jimmy Peterson became the second EC player under Rashid to receive First Team All-SLIAC honors as a utility player.

Perhaps the most decorated and successful head coach in the history of high school baseball in central Illinois, Rashid was appointed head coach 'Neath the Elms on July, 21, 2017 and arrives at EC with 807 career victories between Illinois Valley Central (2005-17), Peoria Notre Dame (1989-04) Bergan (1986-88) and Princeville (1979-85). He won his 800th career game on April 10, 2017 and currently ranks sixth all-time on the Illinois High School Association coaching wins list.

In 39 seasons as a head coach, Rashid has directed his teams to 18 conference championships, 17 IHSA regional titles, four sectional crowns and five appearances in the Sweet 16. Rashid was the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame Tri-County Coach of the Year in 2006, a two-time IHSBCA Division 4 Coach of the Year and a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year.

Rashid led three of his IVC squads (2006, 2008, 2010) to the IHSA state semifinals, including two appearances in the state title game. His 2006 IVC team, led by third-round Major League Baseball Draft pick and longtime MLB relief pitcher Zach McAllister, went 40-2 on its way to the IHSA Class A championship. The Grey Ghosts won at least 23 games in eight consecutive seasons from Rashid’s first season in 2005 through 2012.

Including McAllister, five of Rashid’s former student-athletes at IVC went on to be selected in the MLB Draft. Rashid mentored Jordan Parr (2012 Dodgers, 2013 Diamondbacks), Josh Parr (2011 Diamondbacks), Justin Parr (2013 Phillies) and Chris Razo (2013 Brewers) prior to their collegiate and/or professional careers.

Rashid graduated from Bradley University in Peoria with a B.S. in education. He taught English, social studies and physical education in 40 years as an educator in central Illinois.

What others are saying about Jerry Rashid:

"As an IVC alum, I'm very biased when it comes to Jerry Rashid. There's not too many coaches who embraced the media like Coach Rashid did. He made a small-time reporter feel big time. In my mind, his program at IVC was the gold standard for baseball in the central Illinois area. There's a lot of great coaches, but only one Jerry Rashid." --Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star Sports Reporter (2006-16)

"It's been my honor to cover Jerry Rashid's high school baseball teams. Coach Rashid is passionate about the game and his teams always play with great pride and hustle. What has impressed me most about Jerry is his consistency. Whether he's coaching a future World Series pitcher like Zach McAllister or the least talented player on a high school team, Jerry gives his best to every player. Eureka College is getting a great baseball coach and an even better man -- a real winner on and off the diamond." --Jim Mattson, WEEK 25/WHOI 19 Sports Director

"Coach Rashid was a coach that instilled leadership, accountability, hard work, and what it meant to hang your hat on something. To this day, those life lessons are still ingrained into my everyday life. He is a coach that expects greatness and for his players to do things right. If you don't want to work hard, he will find someone who does. That's one thing I respect so much about him - work hard, expect to win and when you hang your hat on those, good things always tend to follow." --Zach McAllister, Major League Baseball Pitcher, Illinois Valley Central High School Class of 2006

"Eureka College just hired one of the most respected coaches in the state. Jerry Rashid is a baseball coach to the core. He's won everywhere he's worked but most importantly, he makes his players better. Better players and better men." --Kurt Pegler, WMBD 31 Sports Director