In Craig Butler’s 27 years of coaching basketball he has seen a lot of players come and go. Butler has been coaching youth basketball for so long that some of his earlier players now have children of their own playing in leagues. Butler’s impact and guidance on youth basketball players is so pervasive that he has even coached a few NBA players in their early days.

After years of influencing the lives of many young players, Butler is retiring. But on March 15, he had one more duty to fulfill, accepting the first ever Hoopster basketball league Hall of Fame award. Butler received the award in the midst of a standing ovation from players and families at the Hoopsters’ annual postseason banquet at the 4-H Fairgrounds.

Craig Butler, left, receives the first ever Hoopster Hall of Fame Award on Wednesday. Coach Butler, sixth- and seventh-grade Wildcats coach, is retiring this year after dedicating 27 years to coaching youth basketball.

“It was a great surprise,” Butler said. “It’s been one heck of a lot of fun and a labor of love for all the kids and the parents. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.”

This past season Butler coached the Hoopster sixth- and seventh-grade Wildcats team to a 3-9 season record. Butler said he focused on improving the skills of the players and helping them to grow as “players and human beings.”

Wildcats players said Butler had a large impact on their game and their lives as well. Player Marty Williams said Butler was worthy of receiving the award.

“I think that he deserves it because he is such a great coach,” Williams said. “He made me a better player.”

Butler said he was grateful to the players, families and league for allowing him to share time with them and trusting him to be an effective coach. Though Butler said he would certainly miss the chance to continue coaching, he was looking forward to receiving some long-awaited free time.

“I look forward to watching Monday Night Football and Saturday morning cartoons with my grandson,” Butler said.

The fourth-and fifth-grade Mustangs talk before the start of the Hoopster Banquet at 4-H Fairgrounds.

For now, with the 27 years of dedication and the Hall of Fame award behind him, Butler settled in to enjoy the banquet and also honor the other players and coaches. In addition to the Hall of Fame award, the Hoopsters also handed out awards for All Defensive Team, Total Release (to players that gave their all in games to be an asset to their teams), MVP, Mr. and Mrs. Basketball (to players who represent the league as a whole) and the coach of the year or Marcus Murphy award, named after a former influential Hoopsters coach who passed away in a car accident.

All teams sat together as Hoopsters director Rick McNabb developed a Kansas University theme throughout the entire night, asking each player for opinions on who best exemplified each Hoopsters award on the KU basketball team.

The awards were handed out to reward players for exemplary sportsmanship and form throughout the entire season. Sixth- andseventh-grade Horned Frogs player Matt Wade won the MVP award for his age group. The Horned Frogs battled the Bruins in the tournament championship game in February.

“I think I won because we improved as a team and I kept my attitude good in the games,” Wade said.

A good attitude was a quality that was stressed and honored throughout the entire banquet. McNabb concluded the night by asking players to thank their parents and their coaches after the banquet ended and to be grateful for the opportunity to play basketball.

McNabb’s advice was followed as players, coaches and family members left proudly clutching awards and certificates appreciative of the entire Hoopster experience.