Official of the Year - 2004

BOB WARKENTINE
Salina

As a former wrestling coach, Salina’s Bob Warkentine has first-hand experience of what coaches and wrestlers look for in a good official. Warkentine’s performance as a wrestling official was good enough to be selected as this year’s Official of the Year award winner, after six years of officiating service to Kansas wrestling.

Warkentine coached wrestling from 1977 until 1998 as an assistant at Goddard High School and then as head coach at Salina Central and Salina South High Schools. He was head coach for ten years at Salina South, where he won most of his accomplishments.

At Central, Warkentine led his team to a fourth-place finish in 1984. Then for eight straight years at South, Warkentine’s Salina South teams were first or second at regionals and in the top five at state. His team was state runner-up in 1993 and 19945 and third in 1996 and 1997.

He also was head tennis coach at Salina Central from 1980-2000 and is currently the Salina South head tennis coach. His tennis teams have won 8 straight league championships, five state championships, and five state runner-up finishes. Warkentine served as head football coach at Salina Sacred Heart High School in 1986 and 1987. His team was 1987 league and district champions.

Warkentine’s two sons Jason and Eric were each state champions, and Bob Warkentine was named the 5A Head Coach of the Year in 1988. Warkentine also coached Bo Maynes, the only Kansas wrestler to ever go four years without being taken down while being a four-time state champion.

Warkentine also has won numerous teaching awards for his work in the classroom. He was named Renaissance Teacher of the Month for USD #305 in 1996, National Society Daughters of Colonial Wars American History Teacher of the Year for the state of Kansas in 1998, and was one of eight teachers selected for the Leadership Academy for USD #305 from 1998-2000. He was awarded a USD #305 “You Make a Difference” Award in 1988, 1995, and 1998. He was also nominated for USD #305 Teacher of the Year in 1995.