Senior honorary titles don’t often stand the test of time, even if they do offer a telling peek into a person’s teenage self. The NCHS Class of 1988, however, knew what they were doing when they voted their own Prom King, Mark Ehlert as “Most Admired” before graduation. He is definitively “most admired,” then and now. Ehlert’s high school experience was nostalgically Naperville. Some of his fondest memories include playing Pictionary and ping pong with friends in his parents’ basement, going to Colonial after games and dances to share a Kitchen Sink, taking post-prom trips to the Indiana Dunes, and cheering his football and baseball friends on from the stands. For as big a fan as Ehlert was of everyone else, his community loved him right back. He was a standout athlete, lettering in soccer, basketball, and track. He was a guard on the 21-8 basketball team that won both DuPage Valley Conference and the IHSA Regional titles in 1988. His favorite moment from that storied senior season was overcoming a 21-point second half deficit to defeat Naperville North on their home court, securing the conference title in an overtime win. Though impressive both on the track and in the gym, Ehlert commanded the soccer pitch. His list of achievements is impressive: two-time All-Midwest and IHSA All-State recognition; three-time All DuPage Valley conference recognition; Chicago Sun-Times First Team, All-Area; Chicago Tribune First Team, All-State; Wheaton Daily Journal Defensive Player of the Year; MVP of Colorado’s Pikes Peak National Soccer Tournament U19 Division. While he made headlines as an individual, he is proudest of his team’s achievements, including NCHS’s first ever DuPage Valley Conference soccer championship in 1985. A two-time captain, Ehlert loved leading and connecting with his teammates, especially Dave Elliott, Rob Salter, and fellow Hall of Famer Jim Davidson. He reflected, “You couldn’t find an athlete who would outwork or come to a game better prepared than Dave. His fierce competitiveness and drive to always improve brought out the best in me, and all of us as his teammates. Rob and Jim both inspired me with their talent, their work ethic, and their uncanny ability to add humor into the locker room at just the right time – when the team needed some levity.” Sharing the highs and lows of competition with friends, family, and teammates sweetened Ehlert’s athletic highlight reel. As a sophomore Redskin, Ehlert played against his brother, John, a Naperville North Husky, three times. His parents split cheering duties equally, sitting on each son’s side of the stands for a half. His favorite moment of senior year was scoring the winning goal with 4 seconds remaining in a 3-2 win over highly ranked St. Charles High School. His teammates piled on him in a wild game-ending celebration at Memorial Stadium that still brings a smile to Ehlert’s face. Those moments of joy were made possible by Ehlert’s coaches, whom he remembers fondly and gratefully: “I was fortunate to play for several great coaches at NCHS, including fellow 2019 Hall of Fame Inductee, Coach Pask. Pask, Coach Zientarski, Coach Sterr and Coach Dillon helped me develop as an athlete but more importantly, they each taught me the value of hard work, and the personal (and team) fulfillment that comes from pushing oneself beyond our sometimes self-limiting, physical and mental beliefs. They each believed in me and encouraged me to set my goals high.” After high school, Ehlert continued to chase high goals at Miami University as a Division 1 scholarship player. He was a 2-year captain, a member of the 1991 Mid-American Conference Championship team, and earned MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors while playing for Miami. He earned a degree in Business Psychology in 1992 and went on to earn an MBA from DePaul University in 2000. Ehlert’s love of sport is as intense now as it was in his younger years. He played for the Premier Soccer League’s championship Real Wilmette team in the Men’s Over 30 League and was division champion in 1995’s “Shoot the Bull” 3 v 3 basketball tournament. He coached youth basketball and soccer in the Chicago area for 10 years and is looking forward to coaching high school basketball and soccer in the future. Ehlert has spent the last 25 years in sales and sales management roles. He currently works for Ernst & Young as a Director of Business Development. In that position, he serves as a large pursuits coach and negotiations specialist, and volunteers for Ernst and Young Connect Day in Chicago. Looking back at his time at Naperville Central, Ehlert feels a warm sense of connection and pride. He invites today’s Redhawks to “embrace your high school years – they go by quickly and you will never again have this opportunity to compete in front of your classmates, family members, teachers and hometown neighbors.” Ehlert’s enthusiastic embrace of his own high school years made all the difference for those who have long admired him. Upon the announcement of his Hall of Fame selection, one of his longtime high school soccer competitors reached out to the selection committee and affirmed, “If there’s one guy you want walking around representing Naperville Central, it’s Mark Ehlert.”