Outside of the high school Ehlers did a lot of work organizing the middle school athletic program, and was involved in American Legion Baseball, and served as president of the Lexington baseball association for several years. I also saw a lot of great athletic teams.” I had really great coaches from the beginning. “I had some really great coaches to work with,” he said. He helped initiate the first fall sports conditioning program. While Ehlers was in office, the athletic program expanded to include females, and added such sports as soccer, golf and tennis.Įhlers established the first weight room at Lexington High, and has seen that program grow exponentially over the years. The NSIAAA nominated Ehlers, who is 72, for induction to the Hall of Fame this year. The one who helped organize the Nebraska School Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NSIAAA) of which he was the president from 1973-1974. In 1970 he moved to Lexington as the assistant principal and the athletic director of LHS, a position he held for the next 29 years.ĭuring that time Ray Ehlers, which is the name you will see in large letters if you look at the Lexington High School football and outdoor track stadium, was the “so-so” administrator that he speaks of. In 1968 he became the assistant principal and a coach at Blair High School, coaching boys’ basketball and track, and assisting in football. He went on to coach and teach at Fullerton High School from 1958-1968, where he coached track and boys’ basketball. While at Peru State Ehlers was a starter on the football team, on both offense and defense, all four years of his undergrad years, and played basketball three years. He went on to get a MS in administration. He went on to Peru State College to get an education with majors in industrial education and industrial arts, a major in physical education, and a minor in biology. “Maybe it’s a person who was a so-so high school athlete, or so-so college athlete, maybe be a so-so official, maybe a so-so school administrator.”Įhlers is trying to describe himself, though this self-estimation may be a little lower than his resume has shown.Įhlers was a so-so athlete at Syracuse High School in Syracuse Neb., who started on the undefeated 1954 Class C State Champion basketball team, and who also set the school record in the mile run. “I guess maybe I’d call it a ‘so-so,’” he said. He laughed when he said he’ll have to know by then. Saturday he’ll walk across a stage to be inducted. When asked what a contributor is, Ehlers said that he’s been giving that some thought in preparation for the ceremony. “I feel very fortunate to be considered as one of those going in as a contributor,” he said. Ehlers feels he is good company, and is just happy to be part of the event. Ehlers will be inducted as a contributor to Nebraska high school athletics, along with 18 others, including Lexington native and standout athlete, Pat Hodges.Īthletes, coaches, officials and contributors are celebrated when inducted in to the Hall of Fame.
Ray Ehlers travels to Lincoln to be inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame Sunday, Sept. Soon he will be recognized for all he’s done for athletics in Lexington, and Nebraska. He was the athletic director at LHS for 29 years, and the stadium is named after him. If he could meet any athlete, past of present, he would pick Jackie Robinson for his historically pivotal accomplishments that changed America. by Kevin Hervert C-H sports writer–Published: Thursday, Septem8:41 AM CDT – Lexington Clipper Herald Before he was here, there were no girls’ sports. He also served on the Nebraska School Activities Association Board of Control for nine years and is a member of the Hall of Fame Board of Directors. An organizer and producer of athletic events – Lexington once hosted three district track meets on the same day – Ehlers helped organize the Nebraska School Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and served as its president in 1973-74 and was the Athletic Administrator of the Year in 1979. Over a 29-year career at Lexington that included principal duties and an election to the board of education, Ehlers oversaw one of the most successful high school programs in the state. He played football and basketball at Peru State and coached at Fullerton and Blair before becoming the activities director at Lexington High School in 1970. He was a starter on the unbeaten Syracuse basketball team of 1954, a Golden Anniversary team selected by the Hall of Fame. Ray Ehlers’ influence on Nebraska high school athletics spanned playing, coaching and administration careers.
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