NC hurdler wastes no time
Ask North Central High School hurdler David Butler what he likes best about his event, and he hesitates only a moment before giving an honest answer: winning.
Butler is the Washington state prep leader in the high hurdles after a fourth-place finish last spring in the 3A state championship meet. He was also a starter for the Indians in football and basketball this year.
“I don’t like to lose,” he said, “and I like the challenge of trying to do something better than anybody else can do it.”
He’s equally as direct when asked what his goals are for the state meet this year. He wants to win a gold medal in the highs and as a member of the NC 400-meter relay team, and finish in the top three in the 300-meter low hurdles. Oh, and help lead the Indians to a 3A state championship.
Each of those is entirely possible, said NC coach Kelly Walters, who continues to be amazed by the level of Butler’s commitment.
“He’s a tremendous competitor,” said Walters. “He loves to compete at whatever he does, and he’ll always find a way to focus and rise to the occasion. There’ve been times when we’ve put him in races only about 80 percent healthy, and he’ll still put in a 100 percent effort. You can always trust that David will give a great effort, and he’s also very smart.
“And the thing about it is, he’s that way in three sports. It’s more rare now to see a kid successful in three because of all the specialization. David has stuck with his commitment to play all three, and at a high level.”
Butler almost didn’t become a hurdler. He played baseball in the spring through middle school, but recalls that Walters was very persuasive in talking him onto the track before the spring of his freshman year.
“I don’t know how he did it,” Butler said, “but I’m happy with the decision. Before I came out for the first time, I didn’t see track as a very fun sport, but in my second or third race I won my heat, and I realized I could be successful at it.”
Walters remembers that he noticed Butler’s athleticism in football and basketball during his freshman year, and targeted him as an ideal track candidate. The Indians were particularly thin in the hurdles that year, and legendary local track mentor Tracy Walters, Kelly’s father, had just been tabbed to coach the boys in that event.
“David ran under 16 as a freshman, but the amazing thing is that he was able to get the three-step between hurdles, which sometimes takes kids more than a year,” Walters said. “And he was doing it for a whole race as a ninth-grader.”
Butler improved as a sophomore, then broke out as a junior when he also demonstrated sprinter speed that got him onto the NC 4x100 relay team, which eventually ran the third fastest time in Spokane history.
This season, he’s been fighting injuries and bad weather on his way to his state-leading time.
“I had bronchitis the first two or three weeks and missed our jamboree,” he said. “I ran my best times at East Valley and Pasco, but I hurt my hamstring and got a strained groin, so I haven’t been doing the regular workouts, just strengthening work. But in track, and especially with this weather, a lot of people have nagging injuries. I don’t let stuff like that bother me.”
Although football and basketball are by nature more team-oriented sports than track and field, Butler praised Walters’ approach to making the track group, despite all the different events, feel like one big team.
“Coach emphasizes how much we need to be together and encourage each other,” he said. “Winning my races helps make me a leader. I warm up with the sprinters and make sure that everyone’s warming up correctly. I’m a lot more vocal as a team leader this season.
“Our team slogan this year is ‘This moment,’ from Roger Bannister, who was the first runner to break the 4-minute mile. What that means to me is that this is the time to do something really special.”
Like win a state championship.