Ken Jakalski has been coaching cross country and track and field at the high school level for 39 years. He is a president of the Illinois Coaches Association, former CEO of Faster than Gravity Speed Enhancement, and former coaching education chairmen for Illinois United State Track and Field. He’s a member of the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame, a three time recipient of the ITCCCA Coach of the Year award, and a Recipient of the 1989 Franklin Life Golden Clipboards Award for 100+ team victories in both cross country and track.
Ken has been Host/Director/Keynote Speaker to five specialty clinics offered through the Illinois Coaches Association and author of numerous articles related to conditioning, speed enhancement, and endurance training. He’s presented seminars on speed training to coaches associations across the country, and has served as a member of the IHSA Track and Field Advisory Committee as well as Meet Manager for the 1998 USATF National Cross Country Championships. He was a 2007 National High School Coaches Association Finalist for Coach of the Year, and this past June inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Three years ago he wrote The Book of Zoom, a study of science based insights on the mechanics of speed and sprint training protocols. Dr. Peter Weyand of Southern Methodist University, the world’s leading authority on the science of human locomotion endorsed the book. “Ken’s overt fascination with speed and his unwavering commitment to kids and coaching has led him to go “keyboard to keyboard” with everyone from biomechanics scholars to Olympic coaches in pursuit of answers. He is an example shining example of the difference that the passion, instincts, professionalism, and tireless efforts of a single person can make.”
