Wichita’s Bill Faflick chosen next executive director of KSHSAA

Wichitan Bill Faflick was named Kansas State High School Activities Association executive director-elect on Thursday in Topeka, becoming the seventh executive director in association history when Gary Musselman retires in July 2018.

Faflick, 55, has been the Wichita school district’s assistant superintendent of secondary schools since 2011. Faflick will work with Musselman throughout the 2017-18 school year, then become executive director on July 1, 2018.

He will be the first Wichitan to have the role. He was approved by the association’s executive board. His salary has been set at $150,000.

“Doors open at certain times and this was the perfect time for me,” Faflick said. “You don’t get to pick the times things happen and sometimes you have to say no, but this was an opportunity to say yes. We have a firm foundation in place and my first job will be to learn as much as I can from the Association staff and from Mr. Musselman. I’ll be doing a lot of learning and a lot of listening in the first year.”

Faflick will be the first executive director hired from outside KSHSAA full-time staff in at least 40 years, but Faflick is no stranger to the association. He has been meet director for the state track and field championships and formerly was director of athletics for the Wichita school district and the City League.

The announcement comes one day before the board of directors votes on two classification proposals made by a KSHSAA-appointed committee co-headed by Faflick. The group has recommend two changes — one for football in classes 4A through 1A and another for all other sports. If one or both proposals pass, then the measures would require a majority vote from schools across Kansas before taking effect for the 2018-19 season.

“I believe in the mission of the organization,” Faflick said. “I know that activities are an incredibly important part of students in terms of growth. We want our students to be book-smart, yes, but we also need to give them the appropriate social and emotional skills of being a good teammate and collaborating together and overcoming adversity and working toward goals that go beyond the traditional classroom. I believe our activity program provides that opportunity for kids and holds them accountable and prepares them for the future.”

Faflick is a graduate of Southeast High, where he returned as a math teacher and served as the school’s athletic director from 1995-99, before becoming the Wichita district’s athletic director.

Wichita schools superintendent John Allison said the district plans to “begin work immediately” to fill Faflick’s position. Alicia Thompson, who will become superintendent July 1, plans to have an appointment named by the beginning of June, Allison said.

“Our district will miss his incredible leadership and lifetime of dedication to Wichita kids, families and staff,” he said in a statement to district employees Thursday.

“In addition to his 32-year teaching and administrative career, he attended school in Wichita, raised his children in our district, and has been a friend to all. I’m confident he will continue to make his mark on young people across our state,” Allison said.

Musselman has been executive director since 1996 and announced his retirement in January.

This story was originally published April 27, 2017 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Wichita’s Bill Faflick chosen next executive director of KSHSAA."