Jerry Peters watched Mallory Gym being constructed and vowed that when the gymnasium was complete, he would shoot the first shot ever taken in the new gym. Well, Jerry Peters made that shot and it was the first of many successful shots he would make teaching thousands of young people the game of basketball. Today, we honor and thank Coach Peters for a lifetime of selfless giving.
Jerry Peters honed his sports skills at Central High School, then chose to attend Southwestern, where he participated in basketball and baseball. Jerry majored in Political Science, where he was mentored by professors Tom Lowry and David Amacker. While his accomplishments as a basketball coach are the most publicized, his passion and excellence for teaching are just as noteworthy. He has received numerous teaching awards, one of which is the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools Hubert Smothers Award for Distinguished Teaching.
What makes Jerry Peters a great coach? Words such as committed, caring, passionate, versatile, knowledgeable, patient and competitive are used by his colleagues and former players at Memphis University School, where he began his career in 1960. While many admirers marvel at the success he’s enjoyed as a basketball coach, Coach Peters has coached just about every sport MUS offers. He’s served as the head track, assistant football, 9th grade football, head cross-country and 8th grade basketball coach during his career at MUS.
Jerry Peters is the winningest active high school basketball coach in the state of Tennessee. His current head coaching mark of 874 wins ranks number three on the all-time wins list for high school coaches in Tennessee. His teams have won 16 district, six regional and more than 100 conference and invitational championships. Coach Peters has been the head basketball coach at MUS for 41 seasons.
Rhodes College says “thank you” to our distinguished alum, Jerry Peters, for the thousands of lives he has influenced through his teaching and coaching. We are in awe of his basketball success and teaching awards, but it’s Coach Peter’s love and commitment to people, especially youth, that we applaud toady. Rhodes is honored to induct HAROLD JERRY PETERS in the Rhodes Athletic Hall of Fame this 7th day of October, 2005.
