Former Tigers, Vipers basketball coach takes on administrative role
Agua Fria has hired a new athletic director for the 2016-17 school year, and he’s a familiar face around the district.
Tim Butler, who has spent time at Millennium and Verrado, both Agua Fria Union District schools, will replace Ryan Ridenour, who left Agua Fria following the conclusion of the school year for a job in the East Valley.
Butler said he’s grateful for the opportunity to take over the athletics department at Agua Fria.
“I’m really excited,” Butler said. “I’m very familiar with Agua Fria, the district and high school as a whole. I’m excited to work with the new principal, Ernie Molina. I just can’t say enough about how excited I am to have this opportunity and move forward. I’m looking forward to great things at this school.”
He has many years of experience in the coaching field. He was the first girls basketball coach in Millennium history when the school opened in 1999. He took over the boys program the next year, and went 84-32 in four seasons.
Butler moved to Cactus in 2004, and coached boys basketball until moving to Verrado in 2007. He then moved to the Phoenix Union High School District in 2014.
During his 18 years in education, Butler has coached football, basketball, baseball, golf, track, volleyball and softball.
“I’ve built a lot of relationships with a lot of different people in that area, in that community,” he said. “I think that’s going to help build a lot of success, and continue the traditions that Agua Fria has, and then build those partnerships going forward.”
Butler doesn’t have any tricks up his sleeve — he wants to do what he can to put the school, coaches and student athletes in positions to succeed, he said.
“I look forward to developing all the programs, the campus, the community, all those things,” he said. “I think I have a pretty good perspective. I just want to develop those relationships with all the teachers, the staff, the community.
“We want to always build and put the student athlete in places to be successful.”
Butler anticipates spending a lot of time on the job at Agua Fria, he said.
“I spent a couple years in the Phoenix Union [District], and developed a lot of ideas and gained some knowledgeable experience in other areas,” he said. “I want to bring that back [to Agua Fria]. I’m glad I did that, but I’m just blessed to be able to come home. Agua Fria is my home. I’m glad to be back and am looking forward to doing whatever I can for the school and the district.”
Shane McOwen can be reached at smcowen@westvalleyview.com or on Twitter @ShaneMcOwen.