The Traeder Magic

Fort Worth Country Day lost a beloved Falcon on September 8, 2022. William Traeder H’16 – Butch as he was affectionately known – was a cherished brother, uncle, godparent, coach, teacher and friend.

Born in Midland, Texas, Traeder attended Midland Lee High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas Permian Basin. Traeder’s first job out of college became his only job. Head Athletic Trainer and Associate Athletic Director Ed Chisholm relayed the story: “Colonel [Rocky] Rosacker [H’00] asked Butch [in the interview] what he would do in a situation when one of his players didn’t want to play because they were hurt or sore. Butch told the Colonel, ‘I would tell them that if they feel pain, then that means they are alive, and then tell them to get back to work.’ Butch reported that the Colonel hired him on the spot.”

Traeder began his career at FWCD in 1979, teaching math for 10 years before taking on the full-time PE Teacher and Coach role. During his tenure, Coach Traeder served as Head Coach for the girls volleyball (1979-2015) and basketball teams (10 years) and Assistant Coach for Middle School girls basketball (1994-2015), Middle School track (1979-2015), Middle School football (1979-80), and Upper School Track (19792015). Coach Traeder approached his coaching duties with a great passion for the game.

Some forget that Coach Traeder began his stint at FWCD in the classroom as a Middle School Math Teacher. When he began coaching, he fostered commitment to academics in his student-athletes.

Cultivating a fashion sense that was uniquely his own, typified by sweatpants, a T-shirt, and his letter jacket, Coach Traeder was well-known for his quick wit, one-liners and “Traederisms.” Some phrases students have connected with over the years include “If you feel pain that means you’re alive,” “When the why is big enough, the how is easy,” and “You’re not sweating – you’re glowing,” among others.

“Coach Traeder taught a lot more than just volleyball. He focused on instilling in his players a personal drive to win and succeed that would outlive our high school volleyball careers,” said Annabeth Reeb ’13. “One of greatest things about having Coach Traeder as a leader was how much he trusted his team and his captains – he guided and mentored, but wanted his players to take as much initiative as they could. That was huge for me, and I know it made an impact on a lot of other girls. He will be missed, but his influence will live on for years.”

Coach Traeder’s magic was knowing the delicate balance between pushing an athlete to their full potential and providing emotional support and comfort. “I remember as a sixth grader being new to the School and afraid to go to the lunchroom for fear of having to sit alone,” said Elyse Stolz Dickerson ’93. “In those moments, Coach Traeder would sit on the floor of the Round Gym with me while I ate my lunch. He would fill my head with positive thoughts and encourage me to be brave.”

Coach Traeder said his success centered around his athletes. He believed in challenging and empowering players to become the best version of themselves. He believed in his players before believing in themselves. As a result, he has had a lasting impact on them.

“I will never forget a conversation I had with Butch in my first few months at the School,” said Head of School Eric Lombardi. “ We were standing in front of the SPC Champions board in the gym hallway. I commented on how many championships he had. He corrected me. Those weren’t his championships, he said, those were the kids’ wins. He was so clearly all about challenging and empowering and building students into the best versions of themselves. He was not looking for credit for any of those kids’ accomplishments.”

It is pretty incredible when you think of how many women he empowered over the course of his 40-plus years of service.

~ Tracy Carrington ’95

But a great team needs a strong leader, and Coach Traeder certainly was that. Throughout his coaching career, Coach Traeder and his teams accumulated seven Division I SPC volleyball titles, two Division I girls basketball titles, four volleyball TAPS titles, two TISC volleyball titles, two MISC volleyball titles, and one TAPS girls basketball title.

Coaching volleyball at the middle school level was essential in creating a dominant varsity team year after year. Coach Traeder developed the fundamental physical and mental skills needed to succeed at the varsity level and in life. Building a community across all ages, Coach Traeder inspired student-athletes who bonded over grit, sweat, bad jokes and love of the sport.

“Coach Traeder began working with me as a Middle Schooler and was part of my life until the day he died,” said Tracy Carrington ’95. “I think people often underestimate the impact teachers and coaches play during this stage of development. It is pretty incredible when you think of how many women he empowered over the course of his 40-plus years of service. He shaped who I am and why I am in my current profession. Less than a week before he passed, he was still able to recount pieces of the time when he coached me. He was dying, and yet he was still trying to motivate me, get me to laugh, and help me be my best … that is just the kind of man he was.”

Coach Traeder did more than teach volleyball or basketball skills and to run fast; he taught teamwork. “He taught us to be teammates – looking out for each other while holding each other accountable. He taught us to be athletes – to push boundaries and leave it all on the court or track, but to win and lose with grace,” said McKenna Keller Michel ’94. “He taught us mental toughness and what it really takes to win.”

Martha West ’98 shared that Coach Traeder exemplified a coaching style that balances kindness with intensity, laughter with dead-serious focus, and passion with understanding. “He knew that it was just a game at the end of the day, but man, did we hate to lose. He hated to lose,” she said. “Coach Traeder believed that the sacrifices one has to make for being the best were worth it, and he wanted everyone to reach their best.”

The Class of 1990 dedicated Flight ’90 to Coach Traeder.

“I am forever grateful to have known, learned from, been coached by and to have loved Coach Traeder. I was a grateful senior in 1990, editor of the yearbook and thrilled to dedicate it to a coach who had a profound impact on me during my 13 years at FWCD,” said Meg Kendall Lehman ’90, looking back on that day and announcement. “Through my involvement in sports and under the coaching of Traeder, I developed physically and mentally. I left for college with confidence that I could shape my future and gratitude for the experiences that got me to that point. As young athletes, he believed in us, pushed us to be our best, and helped us develop life skills and leadership qualities that I still draw upon today.”

When Coach Traeder unexpectedly collapsed on campus in the fall of 2015, he remained in the ICU for many weeks. Once he was communicating again, his spirit and sense of humor never wavered. During seven months of extensive rehabilitation, physical therapy, and working with professionals at various rehab hospitals, he learned all over again how to speak, walk and care for himself. As soon as he could in the spring of 2016, he returned to the FWCD campus – his home away from home – to continue being involved in the life of the School.

He was honored by the FWCD Alumni Association in 2016 with its highest honor, Honorary Alumnus. A man of few words but with great appreciation for his Falcon family, Coach Traeder responded to the following questions via an interview.

How did FWCD prepare you for your career? “It was my career.” What does FWCD mean to you? “Family. The School has been a great support during a very hard time. Country Day has been a dream place to work.”

Dickerson was there with Coach Traeder’s family and friends to celebrate this milestone. “I had the privilege of staying in contact with Coach Traeder over the years. I was finally able to say thank you for the positive impact he had on my life,” Dickerson said. “As his body failed, I was able to be with him. And on the day of his death, I was able to hold his hand and tell him how much I loved him.

“The most powerful testament to the impact Coach Traeder had on his players were the scores of players, from decades past, that showed up to visit him in his last few weeks of life. I witnessed countless women thanking Coach Traeder for planting the seeds needed for success in life. So, it turns out that his ‘magic’ was not magic at all. He was simply a dedicated coach that loved his school and his players like his own. His legacy lives on in all the strong and brave women he helped create.”

Note from the editor: Thank you to all who shared their Coach Traeder memories with me. There are so many, and I was unable to include them all in the article. They have all been shared with Butch’s family.