Residents Rally for Richfield Springs Coach Cut from Softball Team; Administrators Silent

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
RICHFIELD SPRINGS

Richfield Springs community members packed a school board meeting on Wednesday, April 15 to show support for a long-time coach who was let go from his girls softball team coaching position.

Coach Chris Butler told AllOtsego he has still been allowed to coach the boys modified baseball team, and engaged in coaching activities for that team since the softball decision was made.

“How come I’m, all of a sudden, a villain, you know? Nobody will say why I’m not allowed to be with the softball team. I can coach the boys modified [baseball team],” he said.

The Richfield Springs Central School District did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. AllOtsego was not able to independently verify the reason for the decision by press time, which remains an open question for many in the community.

Videos of public comments at the meeting posted by one of Butler’s daughters, Kennadi Butler, have spread in the community. They show at least eight community members rising to speak against the decision.

“I don’t know who started the problem,” said Floyd Bourne, a retired teacher and coach for the district who counted Butler among his former players. “I just know that there is a problem, and it needs to be solved. It can’t be swept under the carpet.”

In an interview, Bourne told AllOtsego that he had received at least six calls from former students and players as news of the termination circulated.

“This is hurting him terribly, and it bothers me enough so that I feel I have to speak up. I usually just observe, but this is important. This is something that can’t be allowed to happen,” Bourne said.

Chris Butler told AllOtsego he has coached various district teams since around the time he graduated from the high school, over 40 years ago.

“I’m just devastated. I’m heartbroken,” he said. “I’ve never done anything to dishonor the school.”

Board meeting minutes show the school board entered executive session at its March 25 meeting to discuss personnel issues, and also had an agenda item for softball coaching.

Kennadi Butler alleged that the move was related to a student-athlete on the softball team not being named as MVP, and that false accusations were made against her father in the following years.

Chris Butler said the MVP situation is “possibly” related and that he did not know if false accusations were related to the decision.

Both the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police told AllOtsego they had no information on Chris Butler when asked if he was the subject of any criminal investigation or charges.