Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Director Paul Butcher, No. 16 on The Gazette’s list of the area’s top 20 most influential sports figures, is in charge of more than 14,000 acres of parks, trails and open spaces in Colorado Springs.

Air Force hockey coach Frank Serratore was No. 20, followed by USOC Communications Director Darryl Seibel, Pacific Coast League President Branch B. Rickey III and running legend Matt Carpenter.

Those areas include Patty Jewett and Valley Hi golf courses, seven regional parks, 136 neighborhood parks, five sports complexes and 47 open spaces. There are 105 miles of urban trails and 160 miles of park trails.

You play Frisbee golf at Cottonwood Creek, run through Garden of the Gods or shoot hoops at Fountain Park; Butcher has touched your sporting life. If you’ve been ice skating at Sertich, played sand volleyball at Memorial or softball at Skyview, Butcher has been a part of your day.

“He really tries to deliver sports to the people in this community, especially to the kids,” USGA Grants and Fellowship Staff senior consulting director Judy Bell said. “He’s extremely supportive of providing fields and courts and all the things kids need to play on. He’s also, of course, responsible for the golf courses. He’s certainly very positive about his commitment to sports in Colorado Springs.”

Then there are the adult leagues in basketball, dodge ball, flag football, kickball, softball and volleyball. Those go with the youth leagues for baseball, football, judo, lacrosse, soccer, softball, T-ball and weightlifting.

It would be difficult for the area’s biggest troglodyte to avoid one of Butcher’s spaces.

About the list

Continuing until Aug. 24, The Gazette will chronicle the 20 Most Influential Sports Figures in the Colorado Springs area.

We compiled a list of local sports power brokers and e-mailed it to numerous movers and shakers of the Colorado Springs sports community. They, and some members of our sports staff, had the not-so-simple task of telling us who would be on their list – in order from No. 1 to No. 20.

We received 37 full lists, partial lists and lists of all the people we should’ve added to the original list.Folks with more than 20 were asked to whittle it down. Folks with fewer than 20 were asked to increase the number.

In the end, we received 22 lists of 20.

Twenty points were awarded to every first-place vote. Second place votes received 19 points, third place 18, fourth place 17 and so on – 440 points were possible.

The person with the most points received the highest rank.On the 24th, when we reveal No. 1, we will also reveal the total number of votes each of the 20 people received. There will be an “others receiving votes category.”

Media members were ineligible to receive votes.Also on the 24th, on gazettedev.gazette.com you will be able to give us your arrangement of the 20 finalists.

Photo by