Jerry Grandone

Jerry Grandon, a 1960 Gillespie High graduate, was an outstanding athlete throughout his career.  While at GHS, Grandone was a four-year member of the basketball and track teams, as well as a three-year member of the football team.  After graduating from GHS, Grandone took his basketball and track talents to Eastern Illinois University.  While at EIU, Jerry was a four-year member of both of those teams. He won seven varsity letters there, was named tgrack captain and MVP, and was the basketball captain for the 196-1964 season.  He also held numerous hurdle records at EIU.  After EIU, Grandone was the first track coach at Coal City while staying there for five years.  He returned to the halls of GHS where he was the head basketball coach for eight seasons and the head track coach for thirty-eight seasons.  Coach Grandone led the 1971 basketball team to the sectional championship and had dozens of track athletes qualify for the state meet.  The annual Jokisch-Grandone Track Meet in Carlinville is named for him.