BUTLER TWP - What goes into being a great football coach?

That depends on who you ask - and there were plenty of people worth asking at the recent Butler Hometown Heroes gathering at the high school.

"It all starts with the kids," said retired Butler athletic director Ed Hepe. "You can't be successful without good kids.

"Seeing them go on to success in life after graduation and figuring you played a small role - that's what's so rewarding about coaching."

Hepe was athletic director at Butler from 1966 to 1985. He was among six men honored before Butler's season-opening football game this year as part of the second annual Hometown Heroes program.

Three legendary football coaches with Butler ties - A.G. "Cappy" Capezzuti, Art Bernardi and Dick Dilts - also were honored, along with 14-year Butler strength and conditioning coach Joe Savannah and retired Butler Eagle sports editor Mike Surkalo.

The late Capezzuti was 73-35-6 as Butler head football coach from 1948 to 1960. His 1950 team was unbeaten and untied and his 1957 team finished 5-0-3.

Bernardi was an assistant under Capezzuti during his final season, when the Golden Tornado posted a 7-2 mark.

"Cappy was a tremendous organizer and his preparation from game to game was unmatched," Bernardi said. "His teams were physical and he knew how to get the kids to play physical."

Surkalo said Cappezuti's best attribute was his teaching.

"He inherited a lot of good kids when he was here and taught them how to play football - and they listened to him," Surkalo said.

"Cappy was a salesman. He knew how to get along with kids, and those kids believed in him."

Bernardi, 179-64-7 as Butler's head football coach from 1961 through 1985, said getting the players to believe in you is the first step toward becoming successful.

"If the kids don't believe in what you're doing, you've got nothing," Bernardi said.

Bernardi coached four Butler teams to WPIAL championship games and shared the 1977 title with Penn Hills. His teams were 26-1 from 1963-65.

"Overall organization, chemistry between the head coach, his assistants and the players, and enthusiasm are the ingredients needed to build a winner," Bernardi said.

Dilts is a 1948 Butler graduate who went on to coach for 39 years, the final 31 at Kiski Area High School. His overall record was 234-118-7.

Dilts' Cavaliers were undefeated and ranked No. 1 in Pennsylvania in 1971. He also coached three WPIAL runner-up squads, three semifinalists and his teams won 14 conference titles.

"Our staff was like a family and we worked so hard," Dilts said. "But you have to have quality kids to win. Nobody ever won the Kentucky Derby riding on a jackass."

Dilts takes pride in being one of the first high school coaches to institute a weight program. He started one in 1958 at Richland High School.

"The University of Alabama only started theirs in 1956," he said.

Dilts also encouraged his players to compete in other sports.

"That's the one problem I see today. Too many sports are considered year-round in high school," he said. "Kids playing multiple sports become better athletes.

"I started the 300 club at Kiski - giving 100 percent in three varsity sports. That club's still going over there."

Savannah has been Butler's strength and conditioning coach since 1991. He formed the Northern Area Football Coaches Association Lift-A-Thon in 1996, which has grown into a successful fund-raiser.

In 14 years, Savannah has trained Butler athletic standouts Matt Clement, Brian Minto, Troy Nunes, Tyrell Sales, Nate Hartung, Meghan Schnur, Annessa Schnur and Holly Geibel, among others.

"I've been fortunate to work with great kids and so have all of these coaches," Savannah said. "These kids reflect the families they come from - and they come from wonderful families."