BUTLER TWP — Butler senior defenseman C.J. Campbell doesn’t need to open the wellness packet to check if the greasy pizza he’s craving is on the list.

It won’t be.

Instead, he can pair his whole-grain pasta with a grilled chicken breast plus green beans.

The nutrition part of the wellness packet covers everything from snacks to vegetables.

Campbell is proud of how everyone has adapted to the nutrition plan.

Sacrifice and buying into the program on and off the ice have led to a renaissance in the Golden Tornado hockey program.

“Some of the guys were kind of iffy on it at first, but soon realized it would help,” Campbell said. “Most of the guys were receptive to it and knew what had to happen off the ice was a big part of being an athlete. It’s really paid off.”

With a win Tuesday against Peters Township, the Golden Tornado can earn a spot in the Class AAA Penguins Cup Saturday at Consol Energy Center.

Taking that step appeared unlikely not long ago for the Butler program, which won its first playoff game in 11 years last week, and has 35 wins in the past three season.

In the six seasons proceeding this stretch — the program took a two-season hiatus — the Golden Tornado won a combined 19 games.

First-year Butler coach Patrick Hammonds is pleased there has been a change in the culture.

“It’s an incredible feeling from an organizational standpoint,” Hammonds said. “We start the year at a disadvantage. You look at the factors that seem to be connected to success in PIHL hockey, rink proximity and median income and we are dead last in both (in Class AAA).”

The developmental model that was brought in has three core goals: hockey, personal and academic.

Having guidance is something that Butler junior defenseman Jonathan Fair appreciates.

“It was hard to get used to,” Fair said. “It becomes more of a routine. You know what to pick at a restaurant, before you would eat things and not realize what it does to your body.”

Butler’s new model got into place just after the Golden Tornado’s return as a program.

Mike Guentner took over as head coach during Campbell’s freshman season, when the Golden Tornado finished 1-21.

He replaced Brad Posey, who coached the first 14 games. Hammonds was brought in as an assistant the following season.

“What we’re trying to give players and parents is a little bit of everything,” Hammonds said. ‘We’re trying to provide a model for guys to have a good high school experience.”

Off-ice training starts in July. When the program kicked off, Butler started at Family Sportscenter before moving on to Butler Health and Fitness.

“We try to focus on muscles that hockey players would use as opposed to body builders,” Fair said. “We hope this will give us legs in the third period that other teams won’t have.”

Senior forward Marcus McCall isn’t sure many teams prepare like Butler does.

He played for Ford City, which won the Chiefs and Open Cups his sophomore year before the classes were changed.

As part of the nutritional packet, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos’ stats are shown before and after he started lifting.

That helps inspire McCall.

“We do a lot of power movements,” McCall said. “We deadlift and do lunges. Want to work on lower body, that’s where power goes. If you’re upper body is huge, but have tiny legs people will push you over. That’s a big part of hockey.”

Campbell believes the Golden Tornado program will continue to build. Hope has swelled since Butler’s tough return his freshman season.

“People are more optimistic,” Campbell said. “It’s moving one step at a time and it’s cool to watch.”