Q&A With Craig Buttery
1. How/Why did you get into 'American Football' ?
As a Leisure Centre Manager it is important for me to look for new sports that we can offer our customers. Looking around WH Smiths I saw an American Football Magazine and bought it out of interest. A photographer from the local rag saw me reading it in my office and asked who I followed, I said the Dolphins as our Centre is called the DOLPHIN CENTRE and I said that they would win the Superbowl he said his Team would win the Superbowl (the 49ers) that year 1985 the 49ers Beat the Dolphinsin Superbowl XIX. But we both decided to get together and form a Team which we did. This was the Darlington Dragons.
2. What do you feel are the problems with the game in this country (UK) ? What steps would you like to see put in place to improve the standard of play ?
I feel that not enough people are prepared to put in the work in their spare time to ensure that we have stability within the sport before trying to make a fast buck. There are some good people out there that have and are putting an awful lot of their time into the game we need more of those to get the game on its feet. We must also work at grass root level and build up and develop the young players through good coaching with tcoaches that have good ethics and values. One of the things that we also need to do is to get all the Teams to pool their resources and experiences to help each other. What good is it having the best Team in the country with nobody to play.
3. You have coached most age groups now, Which gives you more satisfaction ? Why ?
I think that the Youth level is the best group they are receptive and usually have a great desire to learn and to please.
4. At youth level how do the British compare to the rest of Europe ?
I think that we are quite a bit behind the rest of Europe and that grieves me, I must take off my hat to BYAFA who I think are doing a stirling job of raising the profile of the game
5. What are your ambitions for the coming season and the future ?
I have just taken over as Defensive Co-ordinator at the Senators and I am expecting big things from my players this year I am expecting evan bigger things from myself I think that as a Coach I must be at least two steps ahead of my players and work twice as hard to achieve the best we can. In the future I would like to Coach in the World League and in particular for Jim Criner, I think the man is outstanding as a Coach and as a person, I do not model myself around him but I do try to take the best of him and everyone else that I meet and use it to develop myself. If successful I would like to think that I could rewach for the stars and coach NFL (why the hell not).
6. Does the thought of Football being a global game excite you ?
Oh yes! the only thing better than competition is more competition (sex comes pretty far up the list of course). I would like to see American Football as an Olympic sport, just to give us the chance to beat the Americans.
7. Are there any aspects of coaching you do not enjoy ?
The Politics I know that they are nessacary but it sometimes clouds the issues that need to be addressed.
8. What has been your favourite moment in football ?
Some time ago I had the pleasure of being placed at UCLA, at the first session I attended I was introduced to Terry Donaghue and his staff and the first guy I met was there Offensive Line coach Ed Kezerian. My favourite moment was when he said nice to meet you COACH. I don't know why but it made me feel real good.
Any final words Coach Buttery ?
I think that we coaches in England need to read, we need to ask questions, we need to look listen and learn. Take advice from other coaches no matter who they are or how much you feel they know or don't know you can always pick something up. We need to coach our players to play the game fairly but hard and instill sportsmanship into thier ethics and help them to better themselves. Finnally show ENTHUSIASM, COMMITTMENT AND HONESTY
You can contact Coach Buttery by email at the following address - [email protected]