A State of Delaware coaching legend, Jerry Grasso was hired as a Wilmington assistant coach in August 2022 and will help head coach Mike Shehorn starting with the 2023 season.

Grasso comes to Wilmington after being a volunteer coach at Conrad School of Sciences last season but brings 36 years of coaching to the Wildcats’ bench. He started his coaching career in 1986, coaching Padua from 1986 to 1994, winning the Catholic League four times and the DIAA State Championship in 1994.

Currently, Grasso is employed by the New Castle County Sports and Athletic Programs, serving as a League Coordinator to record scores, update standings and act as a liaison for the county and team managers. He is also a member of the National Fast-Pitch Coaching Association since 1994, working as a freelance writer and a liaison and mentor for new coaches.

Grasso served as the ASA Junior Olympic Softball Commissioner from 1997-2001. He served as a clinician for Newark Parks & Recreation Coaches, New Castle County Softball Camps and Clinics, Piedmont Softball Recreation Leagues, Northeast Little League in Maryland, Millsboro Little Leagues, and Dover Little Leagues.

He worked closely with Rocke Izzo, Jack Lazartic, and Barbara Thorton to create the Delaware Softball Hall of Fame and acted as chairman for 20 years. Adopted in 1998, the DSHOF now has over 40 members with its purpose to promote people who have distinguished themselves in the field of softball. Grasso was recently inducted into the DSHOF in 2021-2022.

Between his beginning at Padua and his year at Conrad, Grasso has coached at the University of Delaware (1994-98), A.I. duPont High School (1999), Goldey-Beacom College (2000-2002 and 2008-10), Mt. Pleasant High School (2003-04), Pennsville Memorial High School in New Jersey (2005-07 and 2016-21), Archmere Academy (2011), Conrad (2012-15 and 2022).

Grasso resides in Wilmington with his wife Judy. They have a daughter, Casey, and a son, Peter. He has been a School Counselor for the Pennsville School District since 1998.