Hall of Fame
Ken Lerg, Catholic Central (CC) Class of 1968, was an excellent student and gifted athlete who played varsity hockey and golf for four years. His outstanding hockey career was capped off by his exceptional performance in the state championship game when he scored all three CC goals in the Shamrock 3-1 victory over Detroit Cathedral. One of the Shamrock’s tri-captains, he earned All-State honors and the prestigious “Jack Adams Trophy” for being the Most Valuable Player in the International High School Hockey League (IHSHL).
After graduating from CC, Ken received an athletic scholarship to continue his studies and hockey career at Ohio State University (OSU). He played three varsity seasons and was named team captain in 1971-1972. Ken earned a degree in Marketing and Business from OSU and joined Quality Metalcraft as a production control manager. Over 41 years, he worked his way up to becoming the COO, a position he held for the last 14 years of his career.
In the 1973-1974 season, Ken began his amateur hockey coaching career and quickly made a name for himself by guiding the Michigan Eagles to a National Championship with an impressive 84-4-2 record. This marked the start of his coaching success, as he continued to lead his teams to victory, securing multiple league and state championships. Ken also mentored numerous talented players, with 20 of his players going on to play Division I hockey, one entering the College Hockey Hall of Fame, and many receiving all-conference honors. Additionally, several of Ken's players went on to play professional hockey, including three who made it to the NHL. Ken Lerg's most remarkable accomplishment was coaching the Honeybaked Pee Wee team to the World Championship in 1986.
Ken planned to support his son Jeff's hockey career, which meant he would have to step down from his position as the Honeybaked head coach. The new coach, Jon Cooper (a future Stanley Cup-winning coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning), brought Ken on as his assistant for three years.
Ken has been married to his wife, Jane, for 47 years. They have three children, Nicole, Stacie, Jeff, and several grandchildren.
From his time at Catholic Central through his tenure as an amateur coach, Ken has achieved success by winning league, state, national, and world championships. His contributions to the sport have been immense, and his influence has helped players improve on and off the ice.
Catholic Central takes pride in Ken Lerg's contributions to the hockey community and the CC athletic legacy. We are honored to induct him into the CC Athletic Hall of Fame.
