About Harry D. Jones
Harry D. Jones began his athletic life in Karlsruhe, Germany where his father was stationed with the US Army and where he focused on baseball and basketball. After his family returned to the US, he attended and played at Nether Providence High School (now Strath Haven) and received The Distinguished Graduate Award. Jones received nine (9) high school varsity letters, in football, basketball and baseball.
He received acceptance to Western Kentucky University in April of his senior year as a student not an athlete. As a freshman, he was just a student among the total population of students. It was not until the fall of his sophomore year that he was given a chance to try out for the baseball team. After the tryouts, he was selected to be one of those to be on the team for the upcoming baseball season and spring.
Jones was the first Afro-American to make a major impact at Western Kentucky University. In his first year, he was all conference first team center-fielder and he led WKU and hitting with a 333 batting average, Then he was awarded an athletic scholarship for his final two years. The next two years he was selected again to the first team all-conference with a 317 and 368 batting average respectively. He was a three year starter and was also a first team selection for the Ohio Valley Conference for those three years.
He graduated from Western Kentucky in 1970 earning a BS degree in Physical Education with a minor in sociology. He later earned his Masters Degree in education from the same Institution.
Jones coached high school boys’ basketball team for three years at Grace Fellowship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and after returning to his hometown, coach high school girls’ basketball for five years at Strath Haven High School and Wallingford, Pennsylvania. A graduate of Rhema Bible Institute in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he was ordained a minister of the Gospel in 1977, and with his wife, Dorrine, founder and pastored Abounding Grace Family Worship Center in Media, Pennsylvania He also attended the Kingdom University School of Ministry, headquartered in Stockbridge, Georgia.
Harry D. Jones Consulting for the Next Level, LLC was created by Jones to take male and female athletes and their parents to the right direction as they pursue college scholarships or athletic careers. Acting as sports mentor, advocate, and trainer, Jones prepares places and support students in settings appropriate to their goals and talents. The same processes he follows today were developed at home, and resulted in his four children receiving athletic scholarships. In the years since then, he has placed students in prep schools, community colleges, and colleges on full scholarships. Two players under his guidance have gone to play in the National Football League. One of those graduates from Strath Haven High School and another drafted in 2013, from Connecticut.
Because of his heartfelt concerns for youth, Jones also founded and coached the How-To-Basketball Camp for girls in grades 4 to 12 and boys in grades 4 to 9. During the camp, Jones and his staff prepared young athletes to reach the next level of training, confidence and exposure to college coaches.
In 2015, Harry Jones was inducted into the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District’s Wall of Honor as an Athletic Consultant, African American Pioneer in Collegiate baseball, Advocate for Prospective Collegiate Athletes and Owner, Consulting for the Next Level.
The Delaware County Athletes Hall of Fame awarded Harry Jones the 2016 Humanitarian Award given annually to a sports-orientated individual who has aided, assisted or contributed time and support to humanitarian, charitable and/or youth organizations in the County, representing Nether Providence High School and class of 1966.