Since 1974, Butch Briggs has coached swimming at East Grand Rapids High School. He has guided the girls teams to an unprecedented 23 state titles and the boys to 10.
He has been named Michigan’s Swimming Coach of the Year numerous times, and in 2000 and in 2011 was the National Federation of State High School Associations Swimming Coach of the Year. He is a member of the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and the pool at East Grand Rapids High School is named in his honor.
He is a Grand Rapids native and graduate of Ottawa Hills High School, competed in track and field while attending Grand Rapids Junior College and graduated from Central Michigan University, where he also ran track.
He was never a competitive swimmer but was inspired by his first swim coaching job with the summer swim team at Cascade Hills Country Club. He became an assistant coach at East in 1973 before taking on the varsity in ’74.