San Angelo Independent School District assistant athletic director Mark Baker announced he will retire Jan. 30 in a social media post Monday, Jan. 13.
Baker has been in public education for 36 years and been the assistant athletic director for San Angelo ISD since 2009. The Monahans native has called San Angelo home since 1981.
After graduating from Angelo State University, where he played as a defensive lineman, Baker signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears.
After his professional football career, Baker returned to San Angelo, where he was a history teacher at Glenn Middle School. He was a teacher and coach at Central High School for eight years before taking a job at Lake View in 2008 — he was the offensive line coach for both San Angelo ISD schools.
Baker was named the Region 2 athletic administrator of the year by the THSADA in 2016.
“Teaching and coaching is the most honorable profession in the world,” Baker said in his post on Facebook. “I have built relationships, friendships with some genuine people that I will be forever grateful for. It takes a village for all of us and mine was large. I am thankful that God gave me the ability to play football as it paved paths and opened doors.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Standard-Times has not received a response from SAISD regarding any comments on Baker or the search for a new assistant athletic director.
Paul Witwer covers high school sports and Angelo State University sports for The San Angelo Standard-Times. Reach him at sports@gosanangelo.com. Follow him on X @Paul_Witwer, Instagram and TikTok at pwitwer_sast.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: SAISD assistant athletic director Mark Baker announces retirement
Reporting by Paul Witwer, San Angelo Standard-Times / San Angelo Standard-Times
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