Clyde Conti, 60, was hired as Butler High School's head varsity football coach in February.

A 1969 Freeport graduate, Conti has 181 victories over a 38-year career as head coach at Clarion-Limestone and Slippery Rock high schools:

Given your storied coaching career, why take on the Butler job?Because I love to coach. People shouldn't be afraid to fail in life. Most people fail at something because they don't make the changes they need to make or they don't stay the course.I enjoy coaching and the whole educational process. This is my 39th year of coaching and the 36th year with my wife, Ursula. I have a great support system.

What got you started in football?My sophomore year in high school, my coaches were Bob King and Don Earley at Freeport. Bob King is (Knoch coach) Mike King's father and Don Earley cared about all of us well beyond football.Those guys got me into the game. I knew that long ago that I wanted to coach.

Who is on your coaching staff at Butler?I'm excited about these guys because they're all positive. There's a heavy KSAC influence because I spent a lot of time in that league.Eric Christy student-taught for me at Clarion-Limestone and (former Butler coach) Jeff McAnallen is going to be the ninth grade line coach. Jordan Johnston was an all-state player at C-L and captain at Grove City College. I coached against (Karns City graduate) Jeff Wagner And we talked (fellow KC grad) Brian Hilderbrand, now teaching in the Butler district, to join the staff.Chris Dimun is a Butler graduate from the 1980s, Nick Sciarro is from New Castle, Bill Elliott was a tremendous player at Knoch and Slippery Rock University, Tim Mahoney, Adam Dovenspike and Floyd Taylor are all very positive people. I love the mix we've put together.

Describe your experience with Butler football so far.All positive vibes. Our names are on everything we do in life and the seniors who have stuck with this program deserve to be rewarded with a great experience. We're working hard to give them one.

What has been your most satisfying victory as a coach?In 1974 at C-L, we beat Clarion High School, 13-6, at Clarion University and went on to win the Little 12 championship. That was my first title team and I'll never forget it.The proudest I ever was after a defeat was when our Slippery Rock team lost in overtime to Wilmington, which went on to win the state championship. That was a team, that as a group, we went as far as we could go and there's a lot of satisfaction in that.

You won at Clarion-Limestone with so few players. How did you do that?Kids have to care for one another and be willing to give all they've got to give for the team. That mentality starts by building trust between players and coaches.When I took the C-L job, the school only had football for four years and never had a winning season. We had two seniors and one assistant coach that first year. Eventually, I had (current Freeport coach) John Gaillot, Art Walker Jr. and (eventual C-L coach) Todd Smith on my staff there in 1992. That's pretty good people.

Besides football, what is your favorite sport?Track and field. I still coach the seventh and eighth grade teams at Slippery Rock. I love the athleticism.

If you had the personnel to run any offense in the world, which offense would you choose?I would still run some pro-I, option and Wing-T. I'm never married to one particular scheme. I love pizza, but I don't eat it every day.

Who was your coaching mentor?Coach Earley, and Bill Dillen is my best friend. I respect Bill's opinion a great deal. They've had the biggest influence on me. Forty years later, I still call Coach Earley coach. That will be forever.

Who is the best football coach of all-time?I can only talk high school because that's the level I've been with. Terry Henry (East Brady) did one heckuva job in his day and Terry Verrelli has been tremendous at Wilmington.George Mihalik and his staff are tremendous at Slippery Rock (University). I love talking football up there. But there are plenty of great coaches around.

What is your favorite memory as a player?I played for two WPIAL finalists at Freeport. We lost 6-0 to Burrell in the title game both times. When you grow up as a kid, your coach is like another parent. That's what I remember.

Is coaching Quad-A football any different from coaching Class A football?I don't think so. You have to build trust at any level, you have to play with heart at any level. Give me a (former Slippery Rock quarterback) Jono Powell ... You had to cut his heart out to beat him ... That kind of kid can win at any level.