Even on a hot and humid Saturday afternoon, you can find Sage Butler at the pickleball court displaying her athletic prowess. Butler is obsessed with this tennis offshoot game and plays nearly everyday. She brings this same dedication to the classroom, finding it enjoyable to share her knowledge and help people who need it.
Butler, a tennis star turned pickleball phenom, looks to get into the swing of things at Trinity. She will be in the mathematics department teaching Honors Geometry and Algebra II, as well as joining the tennis coaching staff. Outside of school, Butler loves exploring new places, spending time with her friends and family, and watching tennis.
“I love to watch professional tennis and enjoy attending the US Open in New York,” Butler said. “Attending the other grand slams are on my bucket list!”
Butler has lived all along the East Coast, growing up in Delaware and teaching in Virginia. She found the transition to be easy with the ideal temperature and year round vacation-like feel that Florida offers.
Reflecting on her first week at Trinity, Butler feels that the environment at school allows her to develop a close connection with her students that she couldn’t in the past. She believes Trinity’s access to technology can also ignite her students with a real passion for learning, particularly math. Butler is excited to start a new chapter in her life with tennis and teaching.
While Butler’s friends were complaining about their “dreadful math classes,” she developed a unique love for the subject. She helped her friends with countless hours of homework and studying for tests. In these moments she found teaching to be her calling.
“[Teaching] was just the perfect fit,” Butler said. “There was nothing else that came close to being what I wanted to do.”
Butler’s passion for both tennis and teaching began in high school where she joined her first team, creating bonds and friendships that ignited these passions. Butler’s love for teaching and being a part of students’ lives made its way onto the tennis courts. Her love for tennis began in high school and carried over to college when she played for the Salisbury University SeaGulls. Butler started her coaching journey at Catholic High School and now looks to continue this journey at Trinity.
“I love tennis, so I’m glad to keep it in my life,” Butler said. “I wish I could play more … but coaching is the next best thing for sure.”
Butler often uses similar approaches in teaching as she does with coaching tennis. She is a very positive and upbeat person and believes that to be essential to her character and identity in the classroom and on the court.
“[My teaching and coaching] style definitely go hand in hand. My high school coach always called me Smiley because I’m definitely [a] positive person and the same on the tennis court. So both definitely are positive aspects in my life.”
