The game of basketball has played a tremendous role in molding and shaping Brian Butler into the man he is today. As the new head coach of Columbia High School's boys basketball team, Butler is eager to share that experience with the Wildcats as they work together in a quest for success on the court.
A native of Bay St. Louis, Butler's love affair with the sport began at St. Stanislaus College Prep. He played for the Rock-A-Chaws during a historic run for the program under former head coach Jay Ladner, who is now head coach of the men's team at the University of Southern Miss. It was there that Butler learned a lot of the core principles that he's carried with him throughout his own coaching career, taking advantage of the opportunity to learn from who many believe to be one of MHSAA basketball's all-time greats.
"That's really where I learned the majority of how I do things," Butler said. "Coach Ladner was my first basketball teacher. He really emphasized focusing on the fine details and the work ethic it takes to be successful. Everything he taught us was about excellence and striving for success, which not only helped us grow as basketball players but translated to everyday life after high school."
For Butler, the transition from competing on the court to competing on the sideline just came naturally. Whenever the opportunity presented itself for him to begin his own coaching career, his love for the game made it an easy decision.
"I had a couple friends who were already in the profession that really helped open that door for me," Butler said. "Ed Bradley, who now coaches at West Harrison, and Crisla Herchenhahn, who's now the girls head coach at Pascagoula — they're the ones who gave me my first shot. For me, it was just a natural next step that kind of came organically. I've always loved basketball, and it's done so much for me. I wanted the opportunity to give back to the game, and the best way for me to give back was to teach this generation of players how to play the game the right way."
From 2012 to 2017, Butler served as the head coach at Sacred Heart, where he helped lead the Crusaders to three consecutive Class 1A State Tournament appearances, including a remarkable 11-0 run through district play during the 2015-16 season in which the Crusaders reached the State Semifinals with a 23-6 record.
From 2018-22, he served as the head coach at South Jones, during which time he led the Braves to back-to-back Class 5A State Tournament appearances. This past season, he coached the team to its best record (19-9) and a deep run to the third round of the postseason, both top marks for the program over the past 20 years.
Of course, the game has continuously evolved since Butler's time as a player, as have the student athletes who are now taking the floor to compete. However, Butler believes those same core principles are still a crucial part of what it takes to win basketball games, and his goal is to show the Wildcats that discipline and determination can take their skills to an all new level.
"As a whole, I don't believe students athletes work as hard at their crafts anymore. This is the instant gratification generation that wants their success and all the benefits that come with that right now, without putting in all of the work it takes to reach that point," Butler said. "That being said, I believe today's students are better athletes than ever before. So many of them have the potential to be great. I just believe they need to be pushed the right way to maximize that potential. They have to be motivated and inspired to fully invest in what they want to achieve."
When it comes to Xs and Os, Butler believes far too many of today's players are attempting to fit themselves in the wrong mold. Rather than just trying to emulate what superstars are doing on television, he wants to help his players discover how to best utilize their own unique skill sets.
"I wouldn't say the game has been watered down, but it's played in a much different way these days," Butler said. "The tougher, hard-nosed players aren't emphasized or praised as often as those who play with more finesse. We as coaches have to help lead our players toward understanding what their game is and what they bring to the court.
"Not everybody is going to be Stephen Curry. Not everybody is going to be Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving. You can have similar traits and learn from the way they play the game, but you have to understand what you bring to the table as an individual and what your role is going to be on the team."
Butler noted that these were lessons he had to learn for himself while playing under Ladner, who had quite the knack for using players' abilities in a way that builds toward team success rather than individual praise.
"For me in particular, I was a shooter. I knew I wasn't a one-on-one guy, and I didn't have to be the one-on-one guy to play an important role for my team," Butler said. "It was my job to run plays, find my spots and knock down those shots for my team whenever the opportunities came. We always emphasized what was best for the team, not just for ourselves. The personal accolades will come down the road if you put in the work, but team accolades are what is most important."
Now, Butler is eager to begin the next chapter of his career in Columbia, with what he believes to be an abundant wealth of talent to groom and an administration that strives for the same goals and ideals as himself.
"I think what excites me most about this opportunity is that Columbia High is very much predicated on excellence," Butler said. "Everyone supports one another in what they're trying to accomplish. You know, in a lot of places around south Mississippi, football or baseball is king and everything else tends to fall by the wayside. At Columbia, the goal is for everyone to be great in whatever they aspire to do.
"Coach Bilderback preaches excellence on a daily basis. He and I share a lot of our athletes, and the two of us being on the same page and delivering that same message can go a really long way toward helping our kids be successful. That's just a rare, special dynamic that I'm really excited to be a part of here at Columbia."
