Black Hills State Athletics' long-time Athletic Trainer, Tony Silva, has announced his retirement after over 31 years of service with the Yellow Jackets.

The BHSU athletic department, staff, student-athletes and everyone who Silva has impacted over the years thank him for all he has done, and wish him the best in retirement.



Silva has seen just about everything one can see during his time at BHSU, since joining the Yellow Jackets in 1992.

Silva was the head athletic trainer overseeing student athlete healthcare for all varsity sports and was in charge of prevention, evaluation, emergency care, rehabilitation, pre-practice, and game day activities. He also taught half-time in the College of Education and Behavior Science.

Prior to arriving at BHSU, Silva earned his bachelors and masters degrees from South Dakota State before leaving to his first athletic trainer stint in 1989 at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia for three years for all sports. After Georgia College, he moved back to become the first official certified athletic trainer at BHSU, where he has served roughly 6,000 Yellow Jacket student-athletes during his time in Spearfish.

Silva has served as the President of South Dakota Athletic Trainers Association for six years and has held other positions within the SDATA. As President of the SDATA, he was also on the board of directors for the Mid-America Athletic Trainers Association. He was also voted the South Dakota Athletic Trainer of the Year in 2002-2003 in only the second year the award was given.

Tony and his wife, Betsy, met in Spearfish and were married in 1996 and have a daughter named Isabelle. Betsy is also retiring after having worked at BHSU as a professor and the chair of the college of education.

-BHSUAthletics.com-