Setting teaching and coaching aside, Blake Knecht is taking on the challenge as the head Athletic Director.

With Dr. Gary McChalicher leaving his role as Athletic Director (AD) and becoming the Dean of Students at the middle school, this left an opening for a new AD position. 

Blake Knecht stepped into the role, a natural fit since he has been the assistant AD.

Knecht decided to take the job because he had been wanting to do it for a long time. ¨Being a teacher/coach is inspiring, but being athletic director is even better,¨ he said. In fact, he said he feels like he’s become the coach for all sports here at the school. 

He is also expecting his first child in April, and he believes this change will help balance family time along with staying involved within sports at the school. 

The new position certainly offers a change of pace as well as less routine than teaching. He doesn’t have the strict time requirements of a teacher’s day any longer. “It changes every day. Say there is a home night game, I will go in [to work] later since I have to stay later for the game. Some nights I may not leave until 9:30 or 9:45 [p.m.].”

This schedule change has Knecht hoping he will be able to establish a strong home routine in the mornings when he has a late home game. 

Knecht´s plans as the new AD are to continue our recent success in our various sports programs.  “Honestly, to continue to grow our programs, keep up the success and help redevelop our programs is my goal.”

This is a bit of a golden opportunity to come in to grow our sports, especially with the football team coming off of the best season in school history.

While the Athletic Director oversees all sports and games, he isn’t necessarily in charge of the Student Section, which has seen a massive growth this fall and now winter season. While he acknowledges the student section in the past was problematic, saying “All student sections have come away from being for the school’s players and more for bantering with the other schools.”

He currently believes this year’s section is better behaved and therefore welcome.