POTOMAC, Md. (DC News Now) — Less than two weeks after the passing of their head coach, the Bullis School football team won an emotional home opener 41-0 over Bishop O’Connell.
Coach Ray Butler, who died earlier this month, was the head coach for one year at Bullis but an assistant for several years before that. During a pregame moment of silence, he was remembered as someone who coached the boys to be “resilient and thoughtful individuals.”
The game was played in front of a packed crowd with many people in attendance, and some coaches on the sideline, wearing “Play for Ray” shirts.
“It means everything to us,” senior Lucas Banks said. “We worked so hard for this for Coach Raymond. We love Coach Ray. We honor him and I think the scoreboard says it all.”
In addition to his role with the football team, Butler was a member of the security staff at Bullis.
“He was just a good old guy, he was a big teddy bear,” said Avi Benaim, who had two boys play football on teams that Butler coached. “He looked out for all these kids. He loved them like they were all his own. Each kid on this team, or each kid that’s graduated, and we have a ton of graduates that are here tonight. They all came to honor him. It’s because he did something special for each one of them in their lives.”
After the game, three of the Bullis School athletes spoke about the impact Butler had on them, both on and off the field.
“When we were going through something outside of football, he was always there for us,” junior Sam Waldman said. “Always with the same energy. He was a mentor more than a coach to us he was always there.”
Senior Brooks Martin added that Butler always put everyone before himself.
“He was the most selfless person I knew,” he said. “He was a mentor and he just wanted to see everyone succeed. And the legacy he left behind is something we play for. We work every single day to glorify him. And I know he’s looking down on us right now and he’s proud for the way we worked today.”
In an announcement on Sept. 3, school officials announced that Butler peacefully passed away late Monday night surrounded by his family. Friends close to Butler told DC News Now the coach died from a brain hemorrhage.
