Looking Back on 60 Years of Coaching with Butch Waller

(SALISBURY, Md) – Tuesday night will be the final time legendary Wicomico County High School Coach, Butch Waller will be on the sidelines, looking to add one last championship to his mantle.

As the boys team is practicing making their shots, we got to talk with Coach Waller about his six decade legacy in Wicomico County.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 60 years, but it’s just been a good 60 years. Good job. People in education all over the country know you don’t get rich, but you make a nice living. But, there’s other ways. There’s other ways to get rich other than money…” says Coach Waller.

That legacy includes some major accolades: An undefeated state championship season in 2002, the most wins all-time for a high school coach in Maryland, to an induction into the Maryland Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

But what kept him in Wicomico County for all these years?

Coach Waller says, “I thought about it, but, you know, I was very content, very happy at Wi Hi where I went to school and that’s just to me, it’s home.”

WMDT asked the 85 year old Waller, win or lose, what he’s planning to do once he’s no longer walking the sidelines of the Wicomico High School basketball court; and he’s not stepping away from coaching completely.

Waller says, “Basically, I look at it, it’s not a retirement. I’m just closing this chapter, and I’ll start another chapter somewhere. I’m not sure where I know Wor-Wic is going to start sports. There’s a college here, there’s a couple other schools in Delaware…”

The impacts he’s had on generations of people in Wicomico County, can’t be understated.

“You see so many people that that some of them you don’t even remember that were just students. I remember it was I remember the physics classes. I remember the health class. So that association just keeps reminding you almost on a daily basis,” says Waller.

That championship game for Wicomico County High School takes place Tuesday night at 7:30 against Henry E. Lackey High.