2022 Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame inductee: Tom Berry, coach

Editor’s note: The Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame will hold its induction ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games in the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament at Blue Devil Gym.

QUINCY —

A

 1963 graduate of Quincy High School who played baseball and basketball through his sophomore year, Tom Berry chose to have a long-lasting impact on Quincy’s student-athletes through teaching and coaching.

A math teacher who graduated from Quincy College, Berry spent two years teaching in the Spoon River Valley School District near Galesburg before returning to his roots as a teacher for nearly three decades at Quincy Junior High School and QHS. He retired as a teacher in 2000.

Berry coached junior high basketball and track before coming to Quincy. His involvement with sports in Quincy started with co-directing the junior high intramural Program. In 1972, QHS boys basketball coach Sherrill Hanks chose Berry to be the head seventh grade coach. He eventually became the eighth grade coach as well.

During five years coaching the junior high, Berry guided his team to a 52-11 record with two appearances at the IESA State Tournament.

In 1977, QHS coach Jerry Leggett chose Berry to be the head sophomore coach. His sophomore teams went 183-79. In 1987, Berry became the varsity assistant and JV coach. Berry was a member of the coaching staff for five Hall of Fame teams from 1979-90.

In 1992, Berry was named QHS girls head basketball coach. In seven seasons, his teams went 115-61 with two Western Big 6 Conference championships, three Martin Luther King Shootout titles and two Class AA sweet sixteen appearances. In 1998, the Blue Devils went 25-6 and reached the elite eight, the best finish in program history.

Twice, Berry was named the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District Coach of the year.

Berry also was the freshman boys soccer coach under both Dick Stewart and Al Knepler and spent three seasons as the varsity assistant under Matt Longo. The 1987 team, with Berry on the bench, reached the state quarterfinals and has been inducted into the Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame.

 He also coached track at the junior high from 1976-80 and served as a high school track assistant from 1999-01. Berry also coached youth sports on all levels, from the Quincy Park District Midget League to the Quinsippi Soccer League.

 Berry passed away in 2020. His wife, Becky, and their sons, Steve and Scott, and five grandchildren carry on his memory and his love for the Blue Devils.