YORK — A Butler Eagle Elite 11 soccer selection and former Butler varsity football place-kicker, Ben Otterson had his moments in high school athletics.

He has no desire to return to that level as a coach — though he’s become quite a good one.

The 1999 Butler graduate, now 33, is a sixth-grade teacher in the Central York School District. He is in his seventh year of coaching youths for the SC York soccer organization.

“I love the system that’s in place there,” Otterson said. “Coaches get the kids for three-year intervals. I coach the same kids in under-10, then under-11 and under-12.

“After that, they move on to another coach and I start over, coaching a new group of under-10 kids.”

This spring, Otterson is saying goodbye to a group of youths he took to the pinnacle — winning the Presidents Cup regional championship recently at Slippery Rock University.

His team cruised to that title, not allowing a goal in regulation or overtime play throughout the tournament. Victories were 6-0 over PA West, 5-0 over New Hampshire, 4-0 over Virginia, 4-3 in penalty kicks (scoreless through regulation and overtime) over the Baltimore (Md.) Bays and 3-0 over Kilkwood, Del.

There is no national tournament for the under-12 age division.

“Our team was ranked 13th in eastern Pennsylvania. That’s how good the soccer is out there,” Otterson said. “We had to go through some tough qualifying tournaments just to be able to represent eastern Pa. in the Presidents Cup.

“Our expectations are to defend first. We were able to do some unique attacking off that system that some of the teams we played weren’t prepared for. My kids just turned it on in that tournament and didn’t hold anything back. It was great to see.”

There are more than 300 players in the SC York organization, from under-10 through under-18.

Otterson estimated his team won 25 games while losing only four this season. He takes over a new under-10 team this month.

“With the tryouts and selection process we have, we keep the kids who really love the game, who are hungry and motivated to learn,” Otterson said. “Seeing the growth and maturity take place from age 10 to 12, the improvement in fundamentals and knowledge of the game ... That’s why I want to keep coaching at this level.

“I don’t want to coach high school soccer. I’ve got not ambition to do that. This is where I want to be.”

Otterson’s own competitive athletic career ended when he attended Penn State University, tried walking on the football team as a place-kicker and did not make the roster.

He taught in Virginia for two years before moving to York.

Married for two years and with no children, Otterson plans to continue coaching club soccer for the forseeable future.

“My wife, Lindsey, is very supportive of it and I do love doing this,” he said. “I think back to growing up in Butler ... people like Jeff Schnur, my parents, Ryan Ohl all have had roles in my staying in soccer.

“There’s great energy in those people and I met a lot of wonderful people who influenced my life while I was learning and playing that game. Now I get to help other kids enjoy that same experience.”