In his two seasons at Long Beach City College, humble and passionate dive coach and alumnus Shane Butler has impressively transformed the Viking dive program with state-qualifying athletes and his detail-oriented coaching method.
This season at LBCC, three divers qualified for state championships with one female diver taking 4th place, while a male diver placed 10th.
32 years ago, the wheels started turning for Butler when he began diving at LBCC as a student, kickstarting his diving and coaching career.
Trained by three Chinese Olympic coaches and an American Olympic dive coach, Butler guides athletes with a dynamic background in diving mechanics.
Butler still holds the school records on both the 1m and 3m boards, and following his time at LBCC, he received a scholarship to CSU Bakersfield where he earned a bachelor of science in Physical Education and a master of science in Coaching and Athletic Administration.
Diving is a family affair for the Butler family, as he has had the opportunity to coach two of his daughters and his son Jake, who competed in the Olympic trials, from an early age to an elite level.
Shane grew up an avid adventurist, venturing into sports like mogul skiing, water skiing, and racing motorcycles, all leading to knee injuries prior to beginning his diving career.
He began noticing discomfort in his knees in his early days of diving, resulting in double knee replacements.
Despite this challenge, Shane is eager to get back on the board and continue diving for a masters program.
gymnast, mogul skier, raced motorcycles, and water skier.
Shane also earned 3rd at NCAA Division II championships.
“I do it for the athletes, it has never been about the money for me. I am trying to help grow their future and get my divers to wherever they need to go,” Butler said.
He humbly prides himself on his passion for diving, emphasizing that his dedication to the sport outweighs any desire for prestige or working with the most esteemed programs.
“Shane is super fun to be around. He’s one of the best coaches I have ever had. He really understands how to take people with zero prior experience and make them great athletes,” LBCC diver Katie Juarez said.
Prior to coaching at LBCC, Butler played an integral role in the dive program at Cypress College, where he spent nine years coaching, sending an athlete to state championships on both boards two years in a row.
Another diver is currently being nominated into the hall of fame as one of the most decorated athletes at Cypress College.
“I try to take athletes from point A to point B and help them accomplish the goals that they set for themselves both in the short-term and the long-term, whether that is to transfer or they are just diving for fun,” Butler said.
In addition to his position as dive coach at LBCC, Butler also coaches both JV and Varsity at Los Alamitos High School, and at McCormick Divers, a Long Beach dive club, where four of his divers will qualify for the national dive meet in West Virginia.
The small and supportive dive culture is something Butler appreciates deeply.
“Dive culture is incredibly unique. Everyone is proud of one another regardless of the team you’re on, your competitor will clap for you, everyone is excited when someone does something good,” he said.
Recently, Shane received what he felt was ultimate validation that he was a high-quality coach at the last senior national meet, where he had the opportunity to speak with four Chinese coaches.
“Despite being a high school and junior college coach, they said I was one of the best coaches they had seen because of the mechanics I teach my divers,” he said.
The LBCC dive program had dissolved for a few years, but in 2023, with a new aquatic facility under construction, Butler joined the team to reboot the program after learning from the head swim coach that they were seeking a new dive coach.
After double knee replacements, Shane is still eager to get back on the board and continue diving for a masters program.
“What an amazing journey I get to be a part of. There is something so beautiful about being a part of growing both individuals and programs to improvement and success in whatever their goals are,” said Butler.
Butler is confident LBCC will have a state champion in 2025.