Butcher can’t resist returning to coach SV Wolverines
Coaching retirement on hold after a shortage of applicants for rep football coaching spots
Ken Butcher can’t seem to stay retired from coaching football.
After the 2017 season, in which Butcher led the Peterborough Wolverines junior varsity team to its first Ontario Football Conference title, he announced he was retiring from coaching to concentrate on his role as Wolverines president.
His assistant coach Rick Thompson agreed to take over his role but a family commitment came up that prevented Thompson from coaching last season. Butcher stepped in to guide the team one more year.
At the end of this season, with Thompson now ready to assume the duties, Butcher again announced his retirement.
On Friday, the Wolverines unveiled their 2018 head coaches including a new senior varsity coach — Butcher.
After John Parkes departed at the end of last season to take a role with the McMaster Marauders varsity football team, no one applied for the SV job. The runner-up for the JV post was offered the job but turned it down, Butcher said.
“We have 70 plus kids who can come back to varsity so I wasn’t going to let it not happen,” Butcher said. “So, I said I’d do it.”
The Wolverines are heading into their ninth season and this is the first year they’ve had trouble filling one of the head coaching roles.
“We had a number of guys interested and for one reason or another turned down this season,” he said.
“I’m hoping they’ll come back into the fold next year and offer their services for head coach. It’s kind of odd because we usually have lots of applicants.”
The SV team has plenty of potential. Two-thirds of the team were part of the 2017 JV OFC champions and the third-year players reached the OFC final in 2017.
“It’s a great group of potential players and potentially a great team,” said Butcher, who has a 63-17 record with four Ramsay Conference Championships, one at bantam and three at JV, in eight seasons. His 2017 JV team represents the Wolverines’ sole OFC title.
Butcher says the JV team is in good hands with Thompson who also runs a successful program at Norwood District High School in addition to helping the JVs to the 2017 banner.
“Rick will do a great job. He’s a great communicator with the players,” Butcher said. “The JV team has some talent there and they’ll do well, too. They’ve done some good scouting on players.”
Christian Vesnaver returns for a second year as bantam coach. He’s had success coaching in the Kinsmen Minor Football League and guided the St. Peter Saints junior team to its first Kawartha and COSSA high school titles in 48 years this month.
“He gets to see all the players at the KMFL level and kudos to him. It’s nice to see somebody else besides Crestwood and Adam Scott win a championship. That was good for St. Peter’s. He’s a good coach who teaches the fundamentals well,” Butcher said.
The Wolverines are now accepting applications for offensive and defensive co-ordinators and all position coaches for all three teams.
Applicants must submit an official Wolverines coaching application form to be considered. Forms can be accessed at www.peterboroughwolverines.ca and must be submitted before Dec. 15.
Players can also register for tryouts on the Wolverines’ website or attend registration opportunities at dates/sites to be announced later. The tryout registration fee is $75 and must be paid prior to the tryouts also to be announced.