Butler boys basketball coach Matt Clement stepping down after 17 seasons, WPIAL title: ‘It meant a lot to me’
BUTLER TWP — Coaching high school basketball had been on Matt Clement’s radar for a long time.
“Even my baseball teammates knew it,” the former major league pitcher said. “I talked about it. But there was only one job that interested me: Butler.”
A Butler graduate and former Golden Tornado basketball player, Clement saw his alma mater’s boys basketball job was open at the time he retired from baseball. He applied for the job, admittedly, without a lot of confidence. He knew he was inexperienced and would be a first-time coach.
“I talked to a lot of people as to whether I should go after it,” Clement said of the basketball opening. “I asked people, ‘Am I crazy? Is this viable?’”
“When I was in the majors, I loved the preparation that went into pitching, what it took to get ready for a game, studying charts for the next opponent. I knew I’d love that about coaching basketball, too. I felt like I could make up for my inexperience with the extra effort I’d put in.”
Clement parlayed that extra effort into a 248-148 record, 14 WPIAL playoff appearances, three WPIAL championship games and the 2020 WPIAL title. He had only three losing seasons in 17 years as Golden Tornado head basketball coach.
Clement is stepping down as head coach. He will continue serving as a volunteer assistant with Butler baseball.
“It’s just time,” Clement said. “I have a contract now as a radio commentator (with 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh) for four or five days a week. I’ll have two sons (Madden at Virginia Tech, Mavrik at Pitt) playing Division I baseball, and my daughter is a Level 9 gymnast trying to become Level 10.
“I have a lot going on. It’s time to allow someone else to experience the joy I had coaching Butler basketball, someone younger with fresh energy.”
Emphasizing he’s not retiring, Clement said he is leaving the door open to other roles.
“I may wind up doing the book, keeping stats ... who knows?” he said. “I’ll still be coming to the games, leaning my support. I am very loyal to Butler. I appreciate the school board taking a chance on me and giving me this opportunity. I wanted to give something to the kids in building a sustainable program.
Clement would go to Little League games and convince young players to attend varsity basketball games and try the sport.
“Dom Pusateri wanted to be the next Zach Slater. Ethan Morton wanted to be like Nate Snodgrass,” Clement said. “That’s how this program was built.
“My goal was to make Butler basketball the main thing for people to do in Butler during the winter months. I loved the packed gyms, the enthusiasm, the players slapping five with little kids. The players felt like rock stars in their hometown, and that was awesome.”
Butler athletic director Bill Mylan said the school board has not formally received Clement’s resignation and likely won’t act upon it until May. He’s hoping the job is posted early next month and have a hire made during the summer, when open gyms begin.
“I expect we’ll receive a number of highly qualified candidates,” Mylan said.
“No one is more passionate about Butler basketball than Matt Clement. His record speaks for itself. He instilled great work ethic in our kids. He got them to buy into what he was selling, and that speaks volumes for what he was able to accomplish.”
Clement expressed gratitude to all of the assistant coaches he worked with over the years, particularly Jim “Duck” Gallagher, who coached him during his own freshman year as a player. Gallagher was with Clement during his entire coaching tenure at Butler.
“Truly my right-hand man,” Clement said.
Seven of Clement’s former players came back to coach with him at some point. One of those, Rich Marnic, was an assistant coach under Clement for nine seasons and was the junior varsity coach in recent seasons.
“I loved playing for him,” Marnic said. “I was a physical player, and he made it clear that if you worked hard, defended, did the little things, you were going to get playing time. I appreciate all he’s done for me as a player and a coach.
“When Matt got the job, there was no better man for the job. No one cared and was more dedicated than him. He’s left a lasting impact on my life and others’.”
Clement recalled “joining the dogpile on the court” after a big playoff win, leaping onto the scorer’s table in Ambridge after a postseason win over North Allegheny.
“It was euphoria. I got caught up in the moment because I was so proud and excited to see the kids celebrate their accomplishments,” he said. “I wanted to celebrate with them.
“I loved getting to the gym early, sitting in my chair to watch people from Butler flow in to the stands. I love watching tapes of games, seeing people’s jubilant reactions in the stands over what was happening on the court.
“It meant something to those people, this community. ... And it meant a lot to me.”
