Old college try

When people talk about higher education in Butte County, Chico State University tends to hog the spotlight. But when the conversation turns to college sports, the light turns to shine on Butte College.

Tucked out of town on a huge, sprawling campus off Durham-Pentz Road, Butte has turned out more than its share of professional athletes since the campus moved from Durham to its current location in 1974. Young men and women who might never have had a chance to play were it not for the affordable tuition and Butte’s commitment to athletics have found their ways into the NBA, the NFL and onto all sorts of pro teams, not to mention racking up millions of dollars in scholarships from such top-level schools as Stanford and UCLA.

Recent success stories include star UC Berkeley quarterback Aaron Rogers, who along with UCB linebacker Garret Cross received a full scholarship right out of Butte. Pros from the school include Dallas Cowboy All-Pro lineman Larry Allen, Twins hurler Kyle Lohse, NBA shooter Paul Henderson and former pro golf contender Jim Wilson.

There is no one secret to the school’s success, other than the trustees’ commitment to funding sports programs. But if there is one person who has turned the school into a sports powerhouse, it is probably Athletics Director Mike Liddell. A fit, barrel-chested man with a cropped mustache and the unmistakable mannerisms of a long-time coach, Liddell has helped build the school’s sports programs from the ground up.

After 35 years, Liddell is now semi-retired, working part-time until a replacement can be found. Filling his shoes won’t be easy as Liddell has been with Butte College virtually from day one. He’s coached football, basketball, track and a few other sports before being named athletic director, helping more than one generation of community college students realize dreams both athletic and academic. Looking back on his career, Liddell said he couldn’t have imagined a better life.

“When I first came here, there was almost nothing here. There was just a field, like a cow pasture,” Liddell said.

Today, the school boasts several playing fields and a modern gymnasium, and construction is underway to remodel the portable facilities that have served as coaches’ offices and training rooms.

Butte College’s success with athletics goes hand-in-hand with a commitment to academic achievement, Liddell said, noting that the women’s basketball team last year had the highest GPA of any community college team in the state. No athlete on any Butte team is allowed to slack off in his or her studies, and the school makes an extra effort to get tutoring for any team member who might need it. The school also expects good behavior from the students.

“There is zero tolerance for bad behavior,” Liddell said. “Whether you’re in the classroom or off campus, you will not misbehave or you’ll be out of the program.”

That policy has been tested in the past, with a couple of incidents of Butte College football players (and once an assistant coach) getting into major trouble with the law, prompting a public-relations nightmare that haunts the program to this day. But Liddell, along with head football coach Craig Rigsbee, says those incidents aren’t indicative of what they teach their players.

“Our kids are held to a higher standard,” Rigsbee said while taking a break from the first practice session of the year. “We want to be a physical team on the field, a disciplined team. But along with that, these players need to be good in the classroom and good in the community.”

Rigsbee said playing football gives many students a chance to excel, to be part of something and to learn how to conduct themselves like champions. While the team has done well over the years, Rigsbee’s emphasis is not on winning games.

“We don’t talk about winning,” he said. “Winning’s a product of the system. If you’re doing all the small things right, making the plays you need to make, being accountable for your position, winning’s just something that’s going to happen.”

That philosophy, which Liddell said is built into every sports program at Butte, is what he hopes will be his legacy at the school and his gift to future Butte College students. Liddell admits it won’t be easy to give up his work at Butte, but he also feels he’s done all he can do in the position.

“It’s been a great run for me. I’m very, very proud," he said. "[The school] isn’t perfect, but look at we’ve done—30 years later and we’re still growing, still breaking new ground. We’ve really come a long way."