Coach McDowell Win 600
Coach Jerry McDowell reached a milestone of 600 career wins at the high school level Monday night, 5/6/24, at Streator Woodland by a score of 8-5. He entered this season with a 582-222-4 record. His total career Win-Loss record at the start of the ’24 season, which includes Junior High is 1,235 Wins – 459 Losses – 4 Ties.
McDowell and Daughter Macy
He took his Junior High kids to 18 Regional Championships, 8 State appearances, and 4 State Titles.
His High School Coaching career has brought him 10 Regional Championships, 2 State appearances, and a 4th place finish.
He has taken 51 kids to the collegiate level including 6 D-1 Athletes.
Coach McDowell began his career during the 1984-85 school year at Gardner G.S. and then got into high school varsity baseball in 87-88, wining the River Valley Conference title. He moved to Coal City middle school in 88-89, and then 7 years later, began at their H.S. as the sophomore coach with a 20-4 record.
In July of 2018 Jerry began as an assistant, coaching with the Joliet Slammers and helped guide them to the Frontier League Championship in 2019
He was named to the Illinois Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2014.
McDowell throws out first pitch.
Jerry’s family is guided by education, as his wife Bonnie is retired, after teaching vocal music at Coal City High school for 35 years. his son Austin teaches and is the AD at Gardner Grade school and is a coach and athletic director, his Son Mickey who graduates next weekend from Osh Kosh, Wisconsin, and is also a ball player.and will be joining us as the new p.e. teacher and baseball coach at DGS, and his daughter Macy, who is also a recent college grad and hired on as a teacher and coach at Mazon grade school. So you can tell, the bloodline in sports is strong!
As a note, the last wining season for Dwight baseball was the 2014-15 season, and the last time Dwight won a Sectional title was in the 08-09 season. Coach McDowell has coached us to a 20-9 record to date, and the team has won 14 out of their last 17 games. Coach McDowell’s impact has been stellar this season. He is a leader, mentor, and a role model for countless athletes.
