‘I’m grateful to be on the court’ It’s been a long road, but Ty Butler hasn’t looked back after moving from Downers Grove to Tennessee

Ty Butler’s journey to a basketball court this season was far from a straight line. His decision meant its share of personal sacrifices.

But he hasn’t looked back once.

Butler, a junior guard, could have been like the rest of high school players in Illinois, waiting on pins and needles for the green light to start dribbling a basketball again. After receiving significant time as a sophomore on Downers Grove South’s varsity team last year, he figured to play a big role for the Mustangs.

Instead, Butler forged his own path.

With the fate of basketball in Illinois uncertain, Butler in November made the decision to leave his mom in Darien and move to Clarksville, Tenn., an hour northwest of Nashville. After jumping through a few technical hoops to become eligible to play for Rossview High School, and waiting while the school’s season was temporarily put on hold for three weeks because of a surge in coronavirus cases, Butler finally took the court earlier this month.

“I think about my decision every day,” Butler said. “I’m grateful to be on the court, playing again. I can’t complain. If I was still in Illinois there’s no telling what I’d be doing right now.”

Butler said he started considering pursuing a different opportunity in late October, when his coach at Downers Grove South broke the news that basketball would not be played any time soon. It was on Oct. 29 that Gov. JB Pritzker said that basketball would be moved to the spring.

“I busted out crying,” Butler said. “I felt like we weren’t going to be playing at all. When coach announced that to us I started tearing up. Basketball is my life. I’ve been playing my whole life.”

Butler started thinking long and hard about starting anew. On Nov. 10, he said he called his dad’s aunt and uncle in Tennessee to see if they would let him move in and start a new life there. The next week, he moved. He has not been back in Illinois since, not even for the holidays.

“It’s definitely different to be away from my mom,” Butler said. “I try to keep in touch, she makes sure I’m OK. But it’s definitely tough. I miss my mom and [older] sister.”

Butler emailed the coach at Rossview before his move, letting him know he’d be enrolling at the school, and sent Hudl film from last year. Butler didn’t have to do a tryout to make the team and played 2-3 games of JV, but there were still several hurdles to get on the court with the varsity team.

He had to become eligible, and had to be in full custody of his aunt and uncle to be approved. His court date for custody was Dec. 15. The next day the Clarksville-Montgomery County School system announced that it was switching to remote learning because of a spike in coronavirus cases, and all winter sports activities between Dec. 16 and Jan. 4 would be canceled.

Butler stayed at his house for the most part, working out and shooting hoops while in remote learning. Being at a new school, he felt like a freshman again, the only familiar faces basketball players.

“We were worried the whole season would be canceled because COVID cases were going up in Montgomery County,” Butler said. “I didn’t know anyone. I knew it would be a fresh start and that’s exactly what it was.

Butler at last returned to the court Jan. 7, against Creek Wood. He had eight points and five steals in a 75-50 win.

After a few games, Butler made the starting lineup.

“I was hungry to play,” he said. “It was definitely a process to get back on the court and get the chance to do what I do.”

Fans have not been allowed at district games since play resumed in January, but Butler said it doesn’t faze him. Friends and his mom can watch games on live stream.

It’s a different game in Tennessee. Butler said the game is slower, the basketball IQ there perhaps not as high as in Illinois, but the kids seem to play harder. Rossview is 8-7 on the season after a loss to district rival Clarksville Friday.

Through it all, Butler said he’s happy and doesn’t plan to move back to Illinois.

“I do feel good about the decision,” he said. “I felt bad for everyone in Illinois, with all the uncertainty. I miss it at home, but basketball is keeping me happy, especially now that I’m starting. Now we need to be winning some more games.”