This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Cottonwood has appointed Lance Gummersall as its next boys' basketball coach, The Tribune confirmed on Thursday morning.
Gummersall spent six years as an assistant at Jordan, four years at Murray and most recently one year at Corner Canyon. As a first-time head coach, Gummersall inherits a program that has finished last in its region the past five years, with an overall record of 21-84 (20 percent) during that juncture.
"I'd love to bring back the pride in the program and [create] something that people want to be a part of through service in the community — making something that is important to people, which I don't know if it has been the past few years," Gummersall said.
Gummersall said he plans to establish an uptempo approach offensively, but noted he isn't opposed to slowing down possessions and implementing sets in the half-court while instilling an aggressive defensive mentality.
"I love the Xs and Os of basketball, but at the same time I know you need to have the best athletes that your school can offer," Gummersall explained. "My initial thought is to do my best to promote the program and make sure people know it's a fun program to be a part of and that it's going to be something special."
— Trevor Phibbs
Twitter: @trevorphibbs