Butch graduated from Castle Rock High School in 1965, where he played varsity football and basketball under coaching greats, Bill Betcher and Floyd LeBaron. He also lettered in baseball, golf and track. That fall after graduation he decided that he wanted to become a high school teacher and coach so that other youngsters would have the same valuable, exciting experience in high school that he had enjoyed. From that moment in 1965 through today, that goal has been the basis of his professional life. At present Butch is Assistant Principal/ Director of Athletics and Activities at Battle Ground.
Butch spent the next few years alternating working and attending school at Lower Columbia College and Central Washington University. During; this time he married his high school sweetheart, Loma, and worked to help put her through beauty college. After graduation, Loma supported Butch while he earned his diploma from Central Washington University. Butch then began working in 1971 at Castle Rock where he taught junior high physical education and coached 8th grade football and high school varsity golf. In 1972, the family moved to Battle Ground where he hoped to become a head football coach.
He was told he could assist in the football program but he was also expected to be an assistant basketball coach. In the next few years under the mentoring of Bill Hatch, Butch came to love coaching basketball. In 1975, he turned down the head basketball coaching position at Stevenson High School to remain in Battle Ground and assist the new head football coach, long time friend, Tom Bate. The following year Butch was given the head basketball job at Battle Ground. He remained in that position for the next twenty-six years. Somewhere during this time, he came to realize that it’s not so much what you accomplish, but whom you accomplish it with that matters.
Although Butch is not one who remembers and quantifies a lot of stats, the one stat that he is proud of is that over the course of thirty-six years with he and Bill Hill at the helm, Battle Ground Basketball holds a winning record over all schools played on a regular basis. Thanks to Dean Summers, loyal score keeper and stat person for Battle Ground over the past thirty-seven years, here are some other stats accumulated during Butch’s career: 401 / 198 win I loss record, 10 league titles shared or outright, 6 district titles. 7 entries into the state tournament, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes at the state finals. He was also named as the League Coach of the Year numerous times, State Coach of the Year, inducted into the T.O.D.A.Y. Hall of Fame, and tabbed along with Dave Denny as Co-coaches of the Southwest Washington All-Era Team.
The reality of the tenacious competitiveness of all the young men involved in Battle Ground basketball and the great support of the commitment and students over the years are the most important stats to Butch. The commitment of those players, assistant coaches, and families of all involved were vital to our accomplishments. Butch acknowledges a special thanks to long time assistant coach, Ron Rakoce. The support of Loma and his children – Casey, Travis, and Maggie, and their spouses – made it a wonderful family affair. Every year was special even when the team didn’t attain an impressive win I loss record, because Butch had all these people to accomplish it with him.
