Coaching Champions - Doug Butler - (Holy Trinity Boys)

In this series we take a look at state championship and runner-up coaches, their outlook on the team, the season, and 2014. Holy Trinity Coach Doug Butler is in his 14th year coaching the boys and girls cross country teams at Holy Trinity. In 2013, with a young, but experienced squad, the boys picked up their 7th state championship in school history.

 

What kind of training did your team get in over the summer months leading into the season?
 

Most of my guys hit over 600 miles and Andrew (Cacciatore) hit 900.

 

How did you train the team in the final weeks leading up to the state meet?

We trained hard up until districts and then backed off at region and state.

 

What chances or belief did you have in your team's chance and ability to win the state title?  

 

We knew with Trinity Prep moving up to 2a we would have a good shot to repeat again and so our goal was not just to win state but to be competitive with all the classes.  That is our goal every year.

 

What advice or points of emphasis did you give your team prior to the race or the week leading into the state meet?  

 

No words of wisdom as I am not very wise and that would be the shortest pep talk on record, I just told them to go out and enjoy it and do what they do every week, run to the best of their ability. I try not to over coach it. It's a pretty simple sport on race day.

 

What was the race plan for the state meet and how did you feel it was executed?  

We wanted Andrew and Trevor to run together, Michael and Egan to run together, and then the last three guys to run together. I think they did a great job at that.

 

Who do you feel really stepped up individually the most for the team at the state meet?  

Nobody really had an earth shattering break thru race. They all ran great. Daniel Cronin had a great year and was solid week in and week out as number five man and sealed the win at state.

 

What were your feelings and emotions when you realized your team had won or during the awards?

I was glad it was over!  I was happy for my guys as four of them had never run state before so I was very happy for them!

 

What were the biggest challenges for this year's team?  

The biggest challenges were our youth and inexperience.

 

What do you think were the keys for your teams to peak and perform their best at season's end?  

Not over thinking it, treating it like a regular wee,k and not over racing throughout the season.

 

What role do your parents have with the program?  

 

Our parents play a big role. They are the best parents in the world (most of the time).

 

What would be the best way to describe your coaching style?  

My coaching style is comply or goodbye.

 

Who were the leaders on your team and what was the importance to the squad?  

 

The number one leader was Andrew Cacciatore. He is the best team captain a coach could have!

 

Who was the biggest individual surprise or runner that most impressed you with their improvements this year?  

 

None really, a couple of JV guys that had huge years and could be on the podium with us next year if we get there. 

 

How would this team rank against some of the past teams that you coached?  

 

Not the best, but with our youth, we could be very good in a year or two.

 

Every state championship team seems to have a special or unique makeup that makes them state champions. What were some of those characteristics of this year's team?  

 

That our ave age is 15.  We have four fourteen year olds, two fifteen year olds, and a seventeen year old.