The first executive director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association and of the Bryant-Jordan Student-Athlete Scholarship Program Kennith Blankenship died after an extended illness on Sunday at the age of 88.

A release from the Alabama High School Athletic Association said Blankenship was a four-sport star at Wetumpka High School serving as captain of the football, basketball, baseball and track teams his senior year in 1954. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954-56 as a member of the 101st Airborne and 8th Infantry Division. He attended Troy State University where he played football and basketball until a knee injury curtailed his career. He got a bachelor’s degree in education in 1959, his master’s in 1961 and completed his doctorate in education in 1977.

He coached at Shorter High in Macon County in 1959 before his teaching and coaching career took him to A.G. Parrish High in Selma in 1961, where served as athletic director, head football and track coach until 1966.

Blankenship then worked at the Alabama State Department of Education for 23 years in leadership roles connected to health and physical education. He was a college basketball official for 20 years and a high school and college track official for 30 years. He was athletic director at Troy University, where he oversaw the school’s move into Division I-A.

As the first executive director of the AHSADCA he was responsible for the creation of the Alabama High School All-Star Sports Week and played a key role in the AHSAA Sports Hall of Fame. He served as the first executive director of the Bryant-Jordan program from 1989-2010.

“Our hearts are heavy,” retiring AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs said. “Mr. Blankenship and his wife Betty Joy have been important members of the AHSAA family. His leadership in so many different areas has made a world of difference to our student-athletes for many years. Our prayers and love go out to his family – and especially his wife Betty Joy.”

Incoming AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon said, “It has been mentors like Dr. Blankenship that have inspired so many to become coaches and teachers. His legacy lives on in the hearts of so many who have become educators. We are forever indebted to him for his inspiring leadership and service.”

Former AHSAA executive director Steve Savarese echoed his successors’ thoughts.

“Dr. Ken Blankenship was a very special person who left our world a much better place,” Savarese said. “His accomplishments were numerous and include various educational athletic achievements including, but not limited to, the Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Program, AHSAA Corporate Partner program, the AHSADCA All-Star Sports Week, Alabama -Mississippi All-Star games, AHSADCA director, all which positively affected our children.

“Dr. Blankenship’s leadership was a model of integrity. I am very grateful for his contributions to our Association and what he taught me personally.”

Blankenship was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, received the prestigious Citation Award from the National Federation of State High School Associations, chaired the Central Alabama Sports Commission, served as a member of the International Olympic Educational Committee and represented the United States in the 1980 Olympic Training Session in Olympia, Greece.

Blankenship was honored by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame board of directors when they selected him Distinguished Alabama Sportsman, an honor bestowed on only 20 individuals since the ASHOF honored its first Hall of Fame Class in 1969.

The memorial service for Blankenship will be July 29, at the First United Methodist Church of Montgomery located at 2416 West Cloverdale Park. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., with the service at 11 a.m.