Veteran high school coach Ken Helberg '82 joined the North Central College coaching staff in fall 2016 as an assistant coach with the Cardinals' men's and women's track and field programs, focusing on the high jump.
In his first season with the Cardinals, Helberg guided Adam Poklop '18 to national-qualifier status for the first time both indoors and outdoors. Poklop earned All-America honors at the 2017 outdoor national championships and returned to the indoor championships in 2018. Kyle LeBlanc '20 qualified for his first national championship outdoors in 2018, also earning All-America honors under Helberg's tutelage. Helberg coached Taiah Gallisath '20 to three national championships, her first being indoors in 2019. She earned All-American status for the 2020 indoor championships and returned for the 2021 outdoor championships her fifth season. Nick Janca-Schmidt '22 earned All-American honors under Helberg's direction, his first also for the 2020 indoor season before securing his second All-American title at the outdoor championships in 2021.
Helberg retired as a physics teacher and head boys' track and field coach at Wheaton Warrenville South High School in 2016. During his 28 seasons of coaching, the Tigers earned 12 IHSA sectional titles, two fourth-place state finishes, a third-place finish in 2003, a second-place showing in 1995 and Class AA titles in 1996 and 1999.
He was voted the Illinois Track & Cross Country Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1996, 1998 and 1999. In 2006, Helberg was inducted into the ITCCCA Hall of Fame.
Helberg resides in Naperville with his wife, Paula Strickland '82 Helberg. Their two sons, Jeff '09 and Ross '12, are also North Central graduates.
