Highly respected former IU track and field and cross country coach Ron Helmer passed on July 4 at the age of 77,
Helmer coached Hoosiers to NCAA titles and appearances in the Olympics over his 15 seasons in Bloomington. He retired in 2023.
Here’s the full release from IU Athletics on Helmer.
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Ron Helmer, a legendary coach of the Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field programs from 2007-2022, passed away on July 4th in Bloomington surrounded by his loved ones. He was 77 years old.
“IU Athletics extends its deepest condolences to the entire Helmer family on Ron’s passing,” said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson. “Ron was a legend in the track and field coaching community, someone whose success in developing champions on the college, national, and international levels over more than 50 years speaks for itself. During his 15 years at Indiana, he not only added significantly to our programs’ history of success, but he was also a leading voice and advocate among our coaching family. I know that everyone who had an opportunity to be around Ron – be that a student-athlete, a fellow coach, or a staff member – benefited greatly from that opportunity, myself very much included.”
Helmer coached a total of 53 years, 37 years at Georgetown and spent his final 15-years at the helm of the Hoosiers program where he mentored 52 individual Big Ten champions in cross country and track and field, led Hoosiers to six NCAA individual titles, 10 Big Ten Athlete of the Year honorees, and three Big Ten Freshman of the Year, 407 All-Americans and eight National Champions. His Olympians included five-time NCAA High Jump champion Derek Drouin who competed in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics for Canada, earning gold in 2016 and a bronze in 2012, Kelsie Ahbe (pole vault – 2012) and Olu Olamigoke (triple jump – 2012).
He also coached five teams that captured Big Ten Championships and another 11 that finished second in the conference. Helmer was also a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year with the Hoosiers. In addition to his four Big Ten Coach of the Year accolades, he is a six-time USTFCCA Regional Coach of the Year.
Prior to coaching the Hoosiers, Helmer served as the director and head coach of track and field and cross country at Georgetown University for eight years, was an associate head coach with the Hoyas for seven seasons and assistant coach the five years prior. He coached 120 student-athletes to a total of 342 All-America recognitions and 219 BIG EAST individual titles. At the NCAA Championships, Helmer led 27 athletes or relay teams to a top-three finish and coached four national champions – Joline Staeheli (mile, 1996), Miesha Marzell (1500m, 1996) and two distance medley relay champions (1997, 1999). He guided Georgetown to 15 straight cross-country national championships and totaled 37 BIG EAST Championship teams, before being inducted into Georgetown’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.
Helmer graduated in 1970 from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., where he was a captain of his college track and field and cross-country teams six times and helped the team capture four conference championships. After graduation, he started his coaching career at the prep level from 1970-86 winning a combined 10 high school state championships and seven state runner-up team finishes. That level of success caught Georgetown’s attention, and Helmer has spent the last 36 years coaching at the Division I level.
Helmer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in math and was inducted into the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame in October 2004 and earned his master’s degree in physical education, with a focus in biomechanics and human kinetics at East Tennessee State University.
In January 2006, He earned the Coaches Achievement Program award presented by Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. The Coaches Achievement Program honors coaches at select BIG EAST member institutions for excellence in coaching, mentoring and community service.
Ron is survived by his wife Rebecca (Browning) Helmer; his children Victoria Arther (Jay), Justin Helmer (Shannon Glenn) and Kari Helmer (Justin Fitzgerald); stepsons Charles (Allison), Robert (Jenn) and Theodore Browning; grandchildren Sydney, Rylee, Brody, Hazel, Layla, Donovan, and Brooklyn; brother Jim Helmer (Deborah) and sister Lynette St. Vrain (Brad.) He was preceded in death by his wife Mary C. Helmer, his father Ralph and his mother Mildred.
The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, July 9, from 4-7:00 pm at The Funeral Chapel, 3000 E. Third St. in Bloomington. Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, July 10, at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church. Coach Helmer, Becky and the family will be forever grateful to Dr. Rafat Abonour and his tireless commitment to Ron’s well being. Thus, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Miles for Myeloma -IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, c/o IU Foundation P.O. Box 7072 Indianapolis, IN 46207
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