Jerry began his coaching career as a twelve year old when he organized a team to compete in a Sacramento recreational league. He organized, played and coached the team.
While attending Sacramento High School, Jerry participated in three sports (football, basketball and baseball) and was on the “All-City Baseball Team” in both 1956 and 1957. He competed in football and baseball at Sacramento City College and played baseball at Sacramento State College.
In 1959, Jerry coached the George Manhart Post Legion team to a state championship and reached the finals of the Western Regional before being defeated. He started his interscholastic coaching career in 1960 when he coached at El Camino High. Jerry coached at Joaquin Miller Junior High School in 1961 and in 1962 he was hired as the first baseball coach at Luther Burbank High School. At Burbank, Conway’s teams won the league championship six times and finished in second place five times.
In 1972, Jerry began his collegiate coaching career when he was hired as the Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Football Coach at Cosumnes River College. In his first year as baseball coach CRC went 21-9, he had a “First Team All-State” first baseman and one player signed with the L.A. Dodgers. In 1973, the Chiefs won the Valley Conference Championship with a 16-4 conference record and were 26-4 overall (this was the first conference championship in any sport at CRC). Two players were named to the “All-Northern California Regional Team”, one was the conference “Player of the Year”, and the team competed in the state tournament. In 1975 one of Jerry’s players, Mike Fischlin, signed with the N.Y. Yankees. Coach Conway led his team to another Valley Conference Championship in 1977. During the 1978 season, Coach Conway was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. Jerry resigned his baseball coaching position in 1980 for medical reasons. In his eight years as the head coach at Cosumnes, Jerry had twenty five players sign pro contracts, thirty five players received scholarships to four year universities and his overall CRC coaching record was 164-78. In his twenty two year career, his coaching record was 451-173. His teams finished in first place eight times and second place nine times.
Jerry was named “Coach of the Year” in 1978 by the Northern California Baseball Booster. In 1979 he was awarded “Community College Baseball Coach of the Year” by the Northern California Baseball Association. In 1981, he was selected to coach the college “All-Star Team”, which was composed of four year college graduating seniors and community college graduating sophomores. On March 7, 1982, the Cosumnes River College baseball field was named in honor of Jerry Conway. The Sacramento Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame gave Jerry a “Special Award” in 1984 for his outstanding work in coaching.
Jerry spearheaded, “The Jerry Conway Hit at Cancer” from 1981-1985. This was a benefit dinner to raise money for the three baseball programs in the Los Rios Community College District and the American Cancer Society.
Jerry returned to the field in 1984 when he returned as CRC’s pitching coach.
Coach Conway passed away from cancer in 1985.