ABOVE VIDEO:Doug Butler is a running legend, winning Space Coast Runner’s Male Runner of the Year awards eight times. He is also a record-setting coach with 20 high school state titles, and has been inducted into both the Space Coast Runners Hall of Fame, as well as the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.
BREVARD COUNTY • SATELLITE BEACH, FLORIDA – It didn’t take Coach Doug Butler long to find a new home – 17 days to be exact.
Butler, perhaps the state’s most successful prep running coach ever, will begin creating another dynasty at Satellite High School when he takes over on January 5.
Doug Butler
“I am very excited to be working with the staff at Satellite High,” said Butler.
“Having lived here the past 26 years, I am well aware of what a great school it is both academically and athletically. They have been down the past few years in the distance department, but the talent is there and it will just take me a little time hitting the hallways and seeking those kids out.
“They already have a solid boys program, so I just need to get some girls out and fine tune what they have already built and I think we will be very competitive in a year or two. I don’t expect kids that want to qualify for state, I expect kids that want to win state. That’s the mind set I want to bring out in the great kids they have there.”
In addition to being a record-setting coach with 20 high school state titles, Butler is also a running legend, winning Space Coast Runner’s Male Runner of the Year awards eight times and has been inducted into both the Space Coast Runners Hall of Fame, as well as the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.
Butler’s recent mysterious dismissal from Holy Trinity came just days after capturing both boys and girls 2014 cross country state championships.
BrooksRunning.com perhaps summed up his career at Holy Trinity the best:
“With 20 percent of the school running for Coach Doug Butler’s track and cross country teams, it’s easy to see that he is able to inspire his runners to commit to a lifestyle of running happy and to his personal motto, “set goals, not limits,” said BrooksRunning.com.
“Coach Butler started the program by himself in 2000 at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Melbourne, and has since had a dozen cross country titles under his leadership.”
On his recent and sudden departure from Holy Trinity, Butler remained positive.
“There really is not much I can say at this point about the past, other than to say that in my 15 years coaching and 6 years teaching at Holy Trinity, what I did was always for the student athletes and trying to better their programs,” said Butler.
“I look forward with great excitement to get to work with Jason Carter, AD Linda Anderson, and principle Mark Elliot, as I have known them for years and nobody could make anyone feel more wanted than they have made me feel.”
Even after all these years and incredible successes, Butler continues to inspire his kids by example to be the best they can be.
“I still enjoy lacing up the shoes every day and getting out there with those I coach and being able to push some of them to their best is great satisfaction.”
“There really is not much I can say at this point about the past, other than to say that in my 15 years coaching and 6 years teaching at Holy Trinity, what I did was always for the student athletes and trying to better their programs,” said Butler.
