Jerry Strom, certified pickleball instructor and former Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Iowa, brings decades of coaching experience and a passion for teaching to the Cottonwood Pickleball Club.
Jeff Dunn
You step onto the pickleball court. A quick greeting, two hours of play, and a casual “See you tomorrow.” Yet how much do you really know about the person you just played with? Behind every serve lies a story waiting to be discovered, and this story belongs to Jerry Strom.
You’ll often see Jerry playing, but his true passion lies in teaching. Unless you were to ask, Jerry won’t tell you that he was Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Iowa for 33 years, a remarkable tenure in today’s hire-and-fire world of college sports.
It started with a six-month internship during his master’s program at Western Illinois University. “They placed me at Iowa,” recalls Jerry. “I loved coaching and I just wanted to stay involved. I decided to see if then-basketball coach Lute Olson would take me on as a grad assistant. Every Friday, I’d walk into his office, unannounced, and ask to see him, but I never got past the secretary.” Persistence paid off. After two months, the secretary convinced Olson to meet Jerry. “I told him I’d work for nothing and do anything he asked of me.” And the rest is history.
Jerry went on to spend three decades working under six legendary Hawkeye coaches: Lute Olson, George Raveling, Dr. Tom Davis, Steve Alford, Todd Lickliter, and Fran McCaffery. Each could have chosen their own Director of Basketball Operations, yet all saw something special in Jerry—a steady presence, a trusted leader, and a man whose dedication transcended the game itself.
Over the years, his role evolved from coaching to becoming somewhat of a Jack-of-all-trades: scheduling, working with CBS and ESPN, recruiting, travel, NCAA compliance, and running the largest men’s basketball camp in the country, with more than 1,000 kids attending each week. “I had a great run. Our teams participated in 25 NCAA tournaments, four Sweet 16’s, one Elite 8, and three Big Ten Championships.”
One of his greatest joys was building lifelong connections with the players. Jerry still stays in touch with former Chicago Bull B.J. Armstrong, Seattle Sonic “Downtown” Freddie Brown, L.A. Laker Ronnie Lester, and Boston Celtic Kevin Gamble, to name a few.
Eventually, Jerry traded in his basketball shoes for pickleball shoes, bringing with him a wealth of coaching experience and love for the game. He became a Certified PPA Instructor, reflecting his dedication to the sport. Jerry has donated countless hours teaching pickleball strategy classes to Cottonwood Club members “because pickleball has given me so much.” His generosity and passion have helped grow the community and inspire new players.
Jerry’s commitment extends beyond the local courts. He qualified to play in four National Championships, and he also played on the 2024 Sun Lakes APPL League State Championship team.
His journey is a testament to how sports can build friendships, foster community, and create opportunities for excellence.
So, the next time you’re sitting out between games, take a moment to ask your partner, “What’s your story?” You might be surprised!