BUTLER TWP — One-sport specialization? Nah.

Leave the area to train to become an elite athlete? Nope.

Tyler Rekich and C.J. Singleton, best friends since they were T-ball teammates, recently refuted both of those ideas.

“They've stayed in Butler, do multiple sports — and they're doing just fine,” Chris Singleton, C.J.'s father, said.

Rekich is an eighth-grader at Butler Intermediate High School. He runs cross country, starts on the Golden Tornado's eighth grade basketball team, plays baseball for Butler's freshman team and for Beaver Valley Red.

Singleton is an eighth-grader at Butler Catholic, was the top cross country runner in the region, was the leading scorer on the Saints' basketball and soccer teams, and plays baseball for the Butler Twisters.

Rekich also competes in track for the Butler junior high team. Singleton does the same for Butler Catholic, which is fielding a track team for the first time this spring.

“Whatever's in season, that's what you concentrate ion,” C.J. Singleton said. “I think each sport helps me get better for the other sports in some way.”

Coaches like Troy Mohney in soccer, Matt Clement in basketball and Brian Marcellus in baseball— all standout athletes and local Hall of Famers in their own right — helped coach Rekich and Singleton in youth sports.

Another coach — Butler's pole vault mentor Jonathon Johnson — has been giving the boys extra instruction over the past year. Johnson, 26, is a physical education teacher at Emily Brittain and Summit elementary schools and bought some used workout equipment and treadmills to set up in his garage.

Johnson lives in Cabot.

“He's got all kinds of stuff in there,” Rekich said of Johnson's garage. “Depending on how busy I am with sports, I get over there two or three days a week, usually for an hour at a time.”

Singleton said Johnson “has been helping me a lot with focus and endurance. I've definitely benefited from going over there.”

Johnson is planning on opening a gym in Saxonburg in July and has slowly been gathering equipment in preparation.

“A few kids have come over to work out. I want to be there to help them,” Johnson said. “Tyler and C.J. are involved in so many sports, yet still make the time to come over.

“Ryder Kriley (Butler eighth-grade 400-meter standout) comes by as well. There is a lot of good young talent around here.”

Hannah Williams, daughter of Butler High School girls track coach John Williams, has been Rekich's coach for jumps. Jerry Maher is Singleton's Butler Catholic track coach.

Since starting their workouts with Johnson, Rekich has triple jumped over 40 feet, high jumped 5-10 and long jumped 19-5. Singleton has run the mile in 4 hours, 50 seconds, the 3,200 meters in 10:28.

At the recent Mars Junior High Invitational, Johnson was able to share a special moment with Rekich and Singleton.

At the meet to coach the Butler pole vaulters, Johnson also took the time to make sure Rekich and Singleton stayed relaxed and provided an encouraging word for both.

Rekich wound up winning the high jump and triple jump, placed third in the long jump and ran a leg on the second-place 4x400 meter relay team.

Singleton won the 1,600 and 3,200 meter events.

There were more than 20 schools from Western Pennsylvania at the meet. Rekich was named meet MVP for field events, Singleton was named MVP for track events.

“Definitely a cool thing for all of us,” Rekich said. “That was fun.

“C.J. and I have been on soccer, basketball and baseball teams together. We've been good friends for a long time.”

Singleton added that “we hang out together when we can, but sports keep us busy.”

They may become teammates again. Chris Singleton said there's a good chance C.J. will attend Butler High School in coming years.

“That was a special moment for those two guys,” Johnson said of the Mars Invite. “I'm sure it won't be the last one.”