Gerry Gerard

{{Short description|American basketball and soccer coach (1903–1951)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Gerry Gerard

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1903|7|14}}

| birth_place = Indiana, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1951|1|17|1903|7|14}}

| death_place = Durham, North Carolina, U.S.

| alma_mater =

| player_sport1 = Football

| player_years2 = {{Circa|1925}}

| player_team2 = Illinois

| player_sport3 = Basketball

| player_years4 = c. 1925

| player_team4 = Illinois

| player_sport5 = Track and field

| player_years6 = c. 1925

| player_team6 = Illinois

| player_positions = End, quarterback (football)
Javelin (track and field)

| coach_sport1 = Football

| coach_years2 = 1928

| coach_team2 = Athen HS (PA)

| coach_sport3 = Basketball

| coach_years4 = 1941–1943

| coach_team4 = Duke (assistant)

| coach_years5 = 1943–1950

| coach_team5 = Duke

| coach_sport6 = Soccer

| coach_years7 = 1935–1948

| coach_team7 = Duke

| overall_record = 131–78 (basketball)
41–27–10 (soccer)

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships = Basketball
1 SoCon regular season (1943)
2 SoCon tournament (1944, 1946)

| awards = Basketball
2× SoCon Coach of the Year (1944, 1946)

| coaching_records =

}}

Kenneth Carlyle "Gerry" Gerard (July 14, 1903 – January 17, 1951) was an American basketball and soccer coach. He served as the head basketball coach at Duke University from 1943 to 1950, compiling a record of 131–78. Gerard first arrived at Duke to serve as the director of intramural sports in 1931. He helped form the Duke Blue Devils men's soccer program in 1935, coaching the team for 11 seasons.

A native of Mishawaka, Indiana, Gerard attended the University of Illinois, where played basketball and football as an end and quarterback. He also threw the javelin on Illinois track team.{{cite news |author= |title=Gerry Gerard Dies At Age 47 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107168224/obituary-for-gerry-gerard-aged-47/ |newspaper=South Bend Tribune |location=South Bend, Indiana |date=January 17, 1951 |page=16, section 2 |access-date=August 7, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He graduated from Illinois in June 1928 with a Bachelor of Science degree and began his career that fall as a teacher and head football coach at the high school in Athens, Pennsylvania.{{cite news |author= |title=Athens Secures Gridiron Star For High Coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107169837/star-gazette/ |newspaper=Elmira Star-Gazette |location=Elmira, New York |date=August 27, 1928 |page=12 |access-date=August 7, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Kenneth Gerard Is Coach At Duke U. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107201845/the-evening-times/ |newspaper=The Evening Times |location=Sayre, Pennsylvania |date=May 21, 1931 |page=3 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

Gerard joined the Duke basketball coaching staff in 1941, acting as an assistant coach under Eddie Cameron for two seasons, prior to being named head coach in 1943. He coached Duke for eight seasons (1943–1950), winning the Southern Conference tournament and Coach of the Year honors in 1944 and 1946.

Gerard's health began to decline in 1949 and he took a leave of absence in November 1950.{{cite book|last1=Roth|first1=John|title=The Encyclopedia of Duke Basketball|date=2006|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0-822-33904-5|page=122}} He died on January 17, 1951, at Duke University Hospital, in Durham, North Carolina after a serious injury lasting several months.{{cite news |author= |title=Funeral Rites Set Today Art 2:30 For Gerry Gerard |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107147824/obituary-for-gerard-gerard/ |newspaper=The Herald-Sun |location=Durham, North Carolina |date=January 18, 1951 |page=1, section 1 |access-date=August 7, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Funeral For Gerard Today (continued) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107147892/the-herald-sun/ |newspaper=The Herald-Sun |location=Durham, North Carolina |date=January 18, 1951 |page=2, section 2 |access-date=August 7, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}