Coaches

Jerry Tokars

Year Inducted: 1981

Category: Coaches

Schools / Organizations: (Chicago) DeLaSalle High School
(Chicago) Leo High School
(Oak Lawn) Richards High School
Moraine Valley Community College

Biography: Jerry Tokars compiled a 425-157 record as the head coach at Chicago’s De La Salle Institute. Three times the Meteors reached Champaign, starting with a third-place finish in 1977 and appearances in 1979 and 1980. Tokars coached De La Salle to eight regional titles and seven league championships. Tokars, a four-year starter at DeLaSalle himself, coached the 1972 #1 National Basketball Association draft choice LaRue Martin (Loyola) along with all-staters Tom Hunter, Tom Gebhardt, and Darryl Allen. In addition, Tokars, twice an all-Catholic League selection as a player, was honored as the league’s coach of the year. This earned Jerry the distinction of becoming a member of the De La Salle Sports Hall of Fame. Still in love with the game, Jerry served as head coach at (Chicago) Leo High School and Moraine Valley Community College. He was an assistant coach at (Palos Hills) Stagg High School when he passed away at the age of 85 on April 17, 2017.