Bio

Personal Life

• Spouse: Elisabeth Gerardy
• Children names: Charlotte
• Employer: Heartland Financial USA Inc.
• Home church: Crossroads Church
• College/s attended: Bethany College
• Degree/s earned: Bachelors degree in Finance
• Community involvements: Mississippi Valley Running Association Board Member

Running Experience  

• Men’s Cross Country and Track, 2011 to 2014 (3 years)
• 2013-2014 – 2* KCAC Champion of Character
• 2013 cross country - 1^st team All KCAC, NAIA National Qualifier
• 2013- 2014- Holder of 3 School Records (indoor track)

Coaching Experience

• Assistant Coach: Hempstead HS Women’s track and Cross Country, 2016-2017 (2 years)
• Team accomplishments: Cross Country 2016 2^nd place at State 2017 4^th Place at State
• Players who went on to compete at the college level: Heidi Welu, McKenna Johnson, Heather Hostager, Shaelyn Hostager, Kristin Brown, Hannah Brown, Heather Muntz, Jessica Mendenhall
• Coaching certifications / other relevant training: USATF level 1 Certification

Quotes From the Coach

A Bible verse/passage that is meaningful to you and why?
Colossians 3:23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 
This is a principle that I try to apply to anything that I do in that I would surely want to give my best to God, so I should to same for my work on here on Earth as a witness to God.

Why is it worthwhile for you to coach at Emmaus?
I coach at Emmaus to make disciples and help my team do the same. Elisabeth’s and my goal in coaching the cross country teams is to be able to help the team grow in their faith, providing biblical principles and leadership to the program. At the end of the day we compete to honor God, and use the gifts that he has blessed us with to point others toward Him. 

What’s your programs story/message that you want to communicate?
I believe that what is special about Emmaus is having the opportunity to grow as a student, an athlete, and most importantly as a Christian. To create a better version of ourselves. The Apostle Paul often wrote about running and racing in respect to living out our faith. I like in Hebrews 12:1 where it says, “let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”  Like a cross country race, our Christian walk will face trials that we must “endure.” The goal is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus though as we live out our faith as a runner anticipates the finish line- which in my experiences brings joy. 

First Head Coach for Cross Country

Emmaus Athletics announces the hiring of Jeremiah Gerardy to serve as the first-ever cross country head coach at Emmaus Bible College.  Gerardy begins his role immediately, and he will lead both the men’s and women’s teams for their inaugural Fall 2021 season of competition.  

“I am thankful to Emmaus for this opportunity and really look forward to building our team!  Colossians 3:23 will be a pillar verse for our program: ‘Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.’ Ultimately, I want a cross country program that points towards God and grows in Him, while using our gifts to the fullest.”

“We will put a strong emphasis on goals and goal setting too. I’m a believer of writing down challenging, attainable goals, and using that as a motivator for one’s actions and decisions.”

Gerardy brings a background full of running experience, with local ties to Dubuque and the region.  A graduate of Maquoketa High School, Gerardy went on to run at Bethany College (KS), where he was a KCAC/NAIA Scholar Athlete and a NAIA National Championship cross country qualifier.  

After graduating from Bethany College in 3-years, with academic honors and 3-school records to his name, Gerardy stayed on as an assistant coach in 2014-15.  He then returned to Iowa, and began coaching in the high school ranks, with cross country Bellevue High School.  In 2016-17, he joined the staff at Dubuque Hempstead High School, assisting with both the girl’s cross country and track programs, helping lead the girls cross country program to a 2nd Place finish at the 4A State meet.  

“I am really looking forward to working with Jeremiah, and to watching him build a program of distinction that honors the Lord and makes a lasting impact on our runners at Emmaus,” stated athletic director Chris McHugh.  

Gerardy holds USATF Level 1 coaching certification, and serves on the board as treasurer for the Mississippi Valley Running Association.  He possesses an undergraduate degree from Bethany College in Finance, and works full-time as a BSA/ Fraud Investigator at Heartland Financial USA.

Gerardy and his wife, Elisabeth (Emmaus alumnus), reside in Dubuque, IA with their young daughter Charlotte.