Paul Butler has been named the 2023 Mike Mitchell-Larry Avery Award winner for his contribution to the sport of football.
Butler began his football career with the St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Bears. He was a key member of the Bears teams that won city championships in 1983, 84 and 85 and was a two-time NOSSA champion in 1984 and 1985.
In Butler’s three years playing in the Senior Bear’s football secondary he was a two-time captain, won Rookie of the Year in 1983 and was the Senior Football MVP in 1985. He was also part of the Bear’s defence that won three consecutive “Best Defence” awards in the city from 1983-85.
Butler also excelled in track and field, winning the Senior 100m NDA championship in 1985 and placing 2nd in the Senior 200m the same year.
Butler attended Ottawa University and was a member of the Ottawa Gee-Gees football team for five seasons (1986-90). During this time, he was a three-year starter (a knee injury kept him on the sidelines during his second year.)
In 1989, Butler was third in the conference in tackles, was named Second Team Conference All-Star and won the Most Dedicated Player Award.
In 1990, he won the Players Choice Award and the Jamie Bone TSN Hit of the Year. Butler was also a trailblazer for other Northern Ontario football players wanting to play Canadian University football. According to then-Ottawa Gee-Gee Head Coach Jim Daley,
“Ottawa U wasn’t a high priority for northern players so we recruited Paul Butler from North Bay and since then we have attracted 13 other players.”
Butler will receive the Michell-Avery Award at the 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner to be held at the Davedi Club on Saturday, May 11.
Tickets are available by calling Larry Tougas at 705-303-8104, Trista Grant at 705-472-0009, the Davedi Club at 705-474-4190, or by contacting any Board member.
