One quote comes to mind when Midland Valley head basketball coach Dave Corder thinks of senior guard Preston Butler.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
It applies to Butler in how he returned from a significant injury to lead his team in Corder’s first year, and it also applies in terms of how he goes about business once he steps onto the floor.
Next, he’ll look to apply it at the collegiate level. Butler has signed with Davidson-Davie Community College, where he plans to spend the next two years before transferring out a four-year college.
Butler is joining a Davidson-Davie program in Thomasville, North Carolina, that is only 18 years old but is among the most successful junior college programs in the country, having amassed a record of 497-88 under head coach Matt Ridge.
“It’s a winning culture at the junior college level, so that’s where I wanted to go,” Butler explained. “I wanted to go somewhere that could build culture and develop me. In a sense, they don’t need me because they’re already winning, so it puts, not a chip on my shoulder, but something for me to look forward to that I can go and work at.”
After missing nearly his entire junior season with a knee injury, Butler returned to lead the Mustangs to a record of 18-9 (8-6 in Region 4-AAAA) while averaging 13.4 points per game on 50.1% shooting. He was an All-Region performer and was also named Midland Valley’s most outstanding offensive player, and he also carried a 3.47 GPA.
“It felt amazing” being back on the court, he said. “It felt great. It’s something I love to do. I love the sport of basketball. I love the game. I love what it brings. Having it taken away from me, it hurt at the time, but being back out there was amazing. I enjoyed it. I learned from a great coach, Coach Corder, and we became better. We all became better young men.”
At Davidson-Davie he intends to obtain an associate degree while knocking out general education requirements before transferring out to study journalism and sports broadcasting at his next stop. To both he’ll take the leadership characteristics he honed both on the basketball court in addition to the football field as a quarterback for the Mustangs.
“The camaraderie it builds, the team chemistry. Being able to bond together, I believe that helps a lot in the leadership role,” he said. “Learning and growing, that’s really what leadership does. It helps you learn. It helps you grow. It builds character. It builds personality. It builds all of the things that make you who you are, so I believe that is something I will take on from Midland Valley.”
Corder encouraged Butler to take the junior college route at a powerhouse program like Davidson-Davie because of the doors it can open to four-year colleges. At the junior college level he’ll compete against players from two grade levels, as opposed to jumping right in to competition against players with as many as five or six years of college experience to their advantage. Still, he knows he’ll have to match the hunger of players who are looking to make the same leap that he is.
“Athletically, it builds character. They say the JUCO level is the nitty gritty,” Butler said. “It’s the grind. It’s the hard work. It’s really where dogs are made and built. And it’s tough, also, because everybody’s trying to get out. They’re trying to make it to that next level, so it builds character. I believe it prepares you mentally.”
A new challenge awaits for Butler, with more to follow wherever he ends up after Davidson-Davie. Corder believes he has his best basketball ahead of him and praised his willingness to get into the gym and work on his game, not to mention the determination he showed in returning from injury to lead his team for one final season.
“He knows he’s stepping into a situation where they’re going to challenge him athletically and academically,” Corder said. “He’s done a great job for our program. We’re really proud of him. He gives all you underclassmen something to shoot for. … We’re really, really thankful for him.”
