Butka retires from coaching sports at Amherst High, will still teach
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Ken Butka has retired from coaching sports at Amherst High School but will remain a math teacher and chair of the math department. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

A familiar face roaming the sidelines will be missing once the basketball season begins this winter.

Ken Butka, who has coached basketball for 29 years and sports at Amherst High School for 32 years, is retiring from coaching. Butka will continue to teach math and serve as math chairman at the high school.

Butka cited the demands of teaching combined with not being able to coach sports in his own style as reasons for hanging up the whistle.

"I really found myself dragging myself to practice sometimes rather than always looking forward to it," said Butka, who made the announcement public at the Amherst winter sports banquet. "I think I did a good job this year, so I would rather leave while people thought I was doing OK than have them talk and say 'Why doesn't he leave?'"

"He's been like a rock," said Amherst Athletics Director Nancy Riccio. "Whenever I need a second opinion, he's always someone I can depend on for sound advice. He's a good role model for coaches and is a great teacher."

Butka called leaving the coaching realm as "the toughest decision I've ever had to make."

"I'm sad about it right now," said Butka. "When November comes around, people have told me I'm going to have a tough time."

The always high-energy Butka leaves behind an impressive coaching resume. After a two-year stint as girls ninth grade cheerleading coach, he coached girls varsity tennis coach from 1977 to 85, accumulating an overall record of 116-2, including a winning streak of 81 matches, nine division titles, and in eight of the nine years, sent girls to the New York State Championships. Seven out of the nine years they were the No. 1 team in Western New York.

In 1985, WKBW-TV awarded him Super Seven Coach of the Year. To gain more notoriety, Butka's players had T-shirts created called "Butka's Babes."

"At that time, tennis was a big sport," said Butka, who with Ray LaPorte won the Town of Amherst doubles title at a bicentennial event in 1976 and won the Town of Amherst singles title in 1980. "I always tease myself I was the right person at the right place at the right time."

In his tenure as basketball coach from 1978 to 2007, 21 of his teams had a winning record or at least a .500 record. Butka coached five years as boys JV coach, two years as girls varsity coach where he coached his daughter, Kristin, but loved the 22 years he coached boys ninth grade basketball.

"It's probably the last time teaching is most important and winning is secondary," said Butka. "No one's going to remember if you go 14-0 on modified but people will remember if you went 2-14 on varsity."

Butka's place in the history of Amherst athletics has not gone unnoticed. On June 7, he was inducted into the Amherst Athletic Hall of Fame. Deputy Superintendent Paul Wietig, a longtime friend of Butka, nominated him.

"Whether in the classroom or on the playing fields of Amherst, Ken is known for his impeccable level of integrity and concern for the whole student - academics and sports are part of the total athlete," Wietig said in his nomination letter. "He sets high standards and is an exemplary role model for all."

"There are maybe 75 people in the Hall of Fame and only seven or eight coaches," added Butka. "It's an unbelievable honor."

While Butka won't be coaching full-time, he might help out the varsity boys basketball team in some capacity this winter.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com