Silver Lake athletic director announces retirement after 39 years of service

SILVER LAKE (KSNT) - A local educator and athletic director will be retiring after spending nearly 40 years in the education field Friday.

Ryan Luke, principal of USD 372, announced that Warren Bledsoe will be retiring after spending 34 years with the district. Bledsoe currently serves as the Silver Lake Junior/Senior High School assistant principal and athletic director and has 39 years of experience in education. His final day will be June 30.

Bledsoe's time with USD 372 has seen him serve as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, athletic director, track coach, assistant football coach, golf coach and junior hIgh boys' basketball coach. He was a part of six state championships and nine state runner-up finishes.

Bledsoe was also named the 2023 Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (KIAAA) Athletic Director of the Year for district two, according to Luke.

“Warren is the person who does so much behind the scene that you don’t even know because it just gets taken care of," said Brad Womack, superintendent of Silver Lake USD 372. “We are so grateful for the years he has dedicated to our students and staff, and wish him nothing but the best as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.”

Luke said Bledsoe is looking forward to spending time with his family and continuing to invest time in his many hobbies after he retires.